The Hollow Servant
by Syladin Shadesmar
Summary: Morgana has tried and failed to kill Merlin too many times now. Now she questions her fate... and decides Merlin would make a better ally than an enemy. Can Merlin manage to outwit her increasingly complicated schemes? Or will he be ensnared, and ultimately engineer the downfall of Camelot himself? After S5 x 08
1. Deception

**Hey! I decided to try something different with this. It's going to be a psychological thriller of sorts, because of the ways Morgana and Merlin will try to outwit each other. I kind of wanted to see it in the series, but Morgana was always hotheaded and never really thought things through. I figured this is what would happen if she actually did. This is going to be my first attempt at a Batman Gambit. Actually, it's going to have some Xanatos gambits too. Actually, it's going to- you know what just read it and tell me what you think.**

**Btw, takes place right after S5-Ep8. That's where it seems to make the most sense.**

Morgana stood as the guards dragged a ragged-looking prisoner into her throne room, one that had been captured only a month ago. He'd been traveling with a Camelot border patrol, and by some misfortune had wound up in her clutches.

He'd been locked in one of the coldest parts of the dungeon, one buried mostly beneath the frozen ground, allowing only for a slit of sunlight and bitter wind. He'd been given nothing but stale bread and icy water that cracked his lips.

_So why was he still smiling?_

"What is it you want from me, then?" Merlin tried to sound annoyingly cheerful, the same way he used to with Arthur every morning. Morgana knew it meant he was still unwilling to side with her, and was silently infuriated by his unflagging impudence. She remained composed, however, and smiled sweetly at him.

"I only ask for your loyalty. That is all I ask of you… and it is all I have ever asked." She made her most innocent face, calling it from the depths of her memories. It slid on like a silken mask that hid the shadows in her eyes.

Merlin chuckled. "The Morgana I once knew is gone. The one before me craves only for the destruction of Camelot."

"What makes you say that? You know I am your friend."

"Not so long ago, you were happy to let me die."

"Things have changed. I have taken into consideration what you have done for me in the past. And I realized all of this…" She spread her arms in admiration. "My powers, my new home, my claim to the throne of Camelot… none of it would have ever happened without you."

His smile dimmed. "I don't know what you are talking about."

"The Druids. Remember? You told me where to find them. You placed your faith in my magic… when it seemed all was lost." She could see something changing inside of him: things he had tried to forget, things he blamed himself for. It was there on his face, which no longer bore a radiant smile, but was starting to crease in hesitation.

She began speaking again. "You've helped me in ways I never realized. You showed me the path to the Druids."

Merlin looked downward, eyes burning. She smiled again. "Before that, there was a Druid boy. You protected him."

"I trusted you back then." His voice shook.

"But why would you even save him in the first place? Why care if he died, if you knew he had magic? Unless of course… you knew what it felt like to be in his place."

She met his eyes, and they blazed with a dark fury. "You have magic. You've had it all along, haven't you?"

Silence. His blue stare said everything.

"Well isn't this interesting? I'm going to venture a guess and say that stupid old codger Gaius knows about your secret as well."

"Do not speak of him that way. He only did what he thought best for you."

"Best? He knew about my powers and he left me to flounder in the darkness. As soon as I reclaim Camelot, he will be among the first to suffer. You, on the other hand, are a different story…"

"I will never help you."

"You don't need to. You already have." His resolve cracked, and for the first time in a month she felt pure joy. "I've told you, I understand. Everything you've done has been for me."

"That's where you're wrong." He looked beyond her mask, and her irritation spasmed across her face. "Everything I have done has been for Arthur. You do not know the great lengths I have gone to protect his life… and you never will."

She did not get angry. She wouldn't; not this time. Although it was still infuriating, she could see she had gotten under his skin as well, and it wouldn't be long now.

Not long at all.

"See to it that he is fed, and make sure you give him a little extra this time. I think he deserves a reward for his loyalty to the king. Not that it will last much longer."

The guards dragged him away again, leaving Morgana by herself. Of course, once she'd stopped thinking with her heart and started with her mind, Merlin had been pathetically easy to figure out. Morgause had taught her the importance of logic, but she'd never been able to truly appreciate it until recently.

Morgana tilted her head downward, wishing her sister were alive to see how close Arthur's demise was.

…

"Sire."

Arthur faced Leon, his hope falling. "Any news?"

"We found the druid camps, but they were all but abandoned. There were some rebellious groups to the east but they were quickly taken care of."

"But still no sign of him."

"I'm afraid not."

The king sighed. "I thought the Darkling Woods were a dead end, but I wasn't sure. Thank you, Leon."

"Sire… we have searched the surrounding lands and beyond, and there is still no trace of him. Perhaps this means…"

"Morgana has taken him. I am aware of this now."

Leon looked a little uncomfortable, but he spoke his thoughts anyway. "Why go to so much trouble, sire? I know Merlin is your friend, but it may be too risky to save him."

He braced himself for the speech that was surely about to come; about friendship and honor and defending the weak.

But Arthur did the unexpected, and instead bowed his head in thought. "I know. We cannot face Morgana without preparing for her, and we don't have nearly enough strength to match hers. There are other matters to attend to as well, and I cannot risk your lives for his alone."

"Sire…" Leon had never seen him so despondent.

"We have no choice. We can only hope that he is alive, and that he will stay that way. He is stronger than he looks…"

Leon stood. "I shall call off the search."

"Good. We must focus on our struggles here, and wait until the moment is right to strike." Leon left, and Arthur sent a silent apology to his far-off friend.

…

Merlin was at a loss.

At first he'd stayed put, knowing that if he used magic to escape, Morgana might piece together what had happened. The only thing to do was try to make Morgana as unstable as possible and wait for Arthur to show up.

But Arthur hadn't shown up yet, and she'd discovered his magic anyway. There was no point in staying any longer; he had to leave before she discovered anything worse, such as his true identity.

Though there was a nagging feeling somewhere in his mind. _Why has she acted this way? _he wondered. Why not kill him on sight, why interrogate and imprison him for such a long time?

She must have figured it out before I got here, he decided. She knew I had magic for a long time before she revealed it to me.

She was waiting to see the look on his face.

Merlin cursed himself. It was one of her tactics; break them by talking. And for the moment, it had worked. The tables had turned, and the advantage he thought he'd had was only an illusion. Morgana was controlling everything.

No. _I will not be an empty puppet. _He was not going to fall prey to her antics like Gwen had. He needed a different strategy, one Morgana would fail to see coming.

Until he could find a way to escape, Merlin was going to continue doing what he did best:

Gumming up the works.

**I'm pretty happy with how this is coming together. I'm hoping to make it EPIC- but I don't have too much of a plan as of right now. I am completely open to suggestions, but for now I hope this thing will sort of write itself. **

**Review! Thanks!**


	2. Assumption

Merlin 2

**I'm drawing on all of my knowledge of POW camps for this one.**

Merlin's cell was unique in that instead of metal bars, he had four stone walls. He knew that his was the only one like this, because he'd been led past others and they had bars. Strangely enough, instead of knights or known enemies of Morgana, those cells had been full of what looked like civilians.

Why would Morgana lock up her own people?

He sighed. There were too many questions he had no answer for, such as how to foil Morgana's plans from the inside. It was a bit tricky, seeing as how he didn't know what exactly her plans were at the moment. She obviously wanted Merlin on her side, but for what purpose?

Night turned to day as the hours passed. It was difficult for him to tell because the sky seemed gray all the time, but the slit of a window to the outside world had definitely gotten a few shades lighter.

There was a jangle of keys and the heavy wooden door opened. "The lady will see you now," said the guard gruffly. Merlin was led back to the throne room, where a long table had been placed. His stomach turned queasy at the sight and smell of rich food, and he didn't even see Morgana until she spoke.

"You must be very hungry. Please, have a seat."

He eyed her with suspicion but did as she said. He needed information, which meant he would need to play along.

"Leave us," she instructed the guards. She sat across from him, passing a whole loaf of bread and cheese. The smell of actual food nauseated him after being without it for so long, but he found himself reaching for it almost against his will. He wolfed it down, almost inhaling the plate.

"Feeling better?" she looked at him innocently again, and he set down the next piece of food he'd grabbed.

"Why haven't you killed me yet?" It had plagued him for hours. "Last time we met, you poisoned me."

"That makes us even, doesn't it? I've learned by now that killing you takes too much effort. No matter what I do, you always seem to live. It's pointless to fight fate."

Merlin choked. She still had no idea he was Emrys, which might work in his favor. "Fate?" he responded. "You can't really believe in that."

"I do. As soon as I realized you had magic, I set out to find you."

His heart sunk. "That patrol-"

"It was no random attack that brought you here. You see Merlin, I face a far greater threat than Camelot alone. And I need your help in defeating it." She sighed. "I was unable to recruit any druids, but some have revealed to me their prophecies. These are ancient, told many hundreds of years ago, and they speak of a powerful sorcerer."

He frowned. "Who could possibly challenge you more than Arthur?"

Her face contorted, and Merlin was shocked at the enmity she spoke with. "His name is Emrys."

Merlin stared back at her, feigning confusion. "What does that have to do with me?"

She regained her composure. "The prophecies also speak of an alliance forged between me and a boy of great magical power. His name was never revealed to me, but I believe I know of whom the prophecy speaks."

Merlin lifted a hand to his face. "You think it's me."

She smiled. "Join me, Merlin. Not only has fate led you here, but your destiny commanded it."

His mind reeled. This was the perfect opportunity to spy on Morgana. It was crazy enough to work. But if he gave up the fight now, it would be suspicious. He had to act perfectly to pull this off.

Morgana noted his hesitation. He was still tied to Arthur- understandable, of course; but as she'd guessed, his loyalty was wavering.

"This is not something you need to decide now, of course. I'll give you tonight to think about it. For now, I'll leave you to eat in peace." Sure enough, she exited, and a pair of guards reentered. They did not bother him until they were certain he had finished his meal, and he was dragged back to his cell.

This time he took a closer look at the other prisoners as he passed them. He did see a few knights, but once again most appeared to be normal citizens.

What was she up to?

…

He was glad for the time Morgana was allowing him to think. He had already made up his mind, but now he had to figure out how much of what she had said was the truth.

A prophecy about an alliance? No doubt the boy of 'great magical power' was actually Mordred. This was working out even better than he could have hoped. Pretending to ally with Morgana would allow him to keep an eye on the knight, and would let him know the moment he switched allegiances. He would be able to hear Morgana's plans and report them to Arthur, without Morgana ever suspecting him. And as long as she never discovered his true identity as Emrys, he could keep up the charade for as long as he might need to.

He fell asleep with a smile, secure in the knowledge that Morgana was no match for him.

…

Morgana watched the boy warily. So far he'd made no escape attempts, but even if he had the doors were sealed with magical charms. She'd almost hoped he would try to run, because at least it would have given her a gauge of his powers. The prophecy spoke of a sorcerer joining her, but nothing about it stated just how powerful the sorcerer would be. She'd lied to Merlin about that part, and sure enough he didn't bat an eye at her.

It did specify that the sorcerer would betray Arthur, and ultimately become his downfall.

Yes, Merlin was the sorcerer of the prophecy, she was almost certain of it. Few others were as close to the king as he.

Suddenly, he rolled over in his sleep, and Morgana saw that hideously annoying smile once again. She shuddered. Why did it bother her so much? Was it because he'd smiled to her almost every day since his arrival, despite the pain he surely felt?

Or did he know something she didn't?

She turned her back to the cell door, saying nothing to the guard. She hurried away, feeling watched for some reason. As she reached her bedchambers she shut the door forcefully behind her, hoping the mysterious entity would leave her alone.

She sank to her knees as a vision came.

It was the old man, the peaceful, smiling, terrifying old man who haunted her. His face hung over her head, looking reproachful. His eyes tore open her soul.

"Emrys," she pleaded. The face did not acknowledge her cry. She fell into a deep abyss, Emrys calmly walking right beside her as she plummeted. "Emrys, please, I'll do anything! Please… don't let me die!"

He shook his head and faded into nothing.

"No…" she kept falling.

There was a bright light, and she jerked upward, caught mid-fall.

It was Merlin, grasping her hands.

She felt instant relief. Everything was going to be all right. She smiled at him.

Merlin returned the smile, but it held no warmth.

He let go.

The next morning she hadn't moved from the cold floor, and tears had dried on her face.

**I know the POV may be a little confusing, as it switches back and forth between Merlin and Morgana, but I'm aiming for third person omniscient. Let me know if it gets too confusing and I'll go back and revise, but personally I think TPO is best for going in depth for every character's thoughts.**


	3. Intention

Merlin 3

**Hi! I like the ideas I've gotten from some of you, I'll definitely use them. Merlin may temporarily go to the dark side, or Morgana might turn good. Now I've got a few plot ideas, and they're starting to come to life! *EDIT* Fatal plot hole now averted. Thank you to zarifa2013 for pointing it out!**

Morgana paced the floor of her bedchamber. Usually, when she dreamt of Emrys, few others showed up in the dream. But now Merlin was there.

Did it make him an ally? He had saved her, after all.

But he let go again…

It was so confusing. She had no idea what to think, but if she could discern only one thing from the vision, it was this: Merlin couldn't be trusted yet.

She had been pondering for the better part of an hour, and the sun began to creep into the sky.

There was a knock on the door behind her.

"Come in."

A dark-skinned guard entered. "Milady, the boy has requested your presence. He wishes to inform you of his decision."

"Good. I'll see him. Bring him to the throne room. Thank you, Ivor."

The guard nodded and left. Morgana followed suit.

…

Merlin looked up as a guard opened the door. He prepared himself to be dragged back across the stone floor, as usual.

Except the guard made no moves.

Merlin stared expectantly.

"Well, go on then," said the guard.

Puzzled, Merlin walked free of his cell. Once he was ahead, the guard began to follow. Merlin turned around and stopped.

The guard sighed. "I am only to accompany you. You know the way to the throne room?"

Merlin nodded. He'd been led there enough times.

He continued walking, occasionally throwing a glance over his shoulder to see if the guard was still there. He was, but he followed at a respectful distance.

Merlin shrugged inwardly. Maybe this meant Morgana already had an idea of what his decision would be.

He reached the throne room, where Morgana was pacing. The table was still there, with two plates of food. It was a standard fare of bread, cheese, and fruit, but even with the previous day's meal in his stomach Merlin's mouth watered.

"Please, sit. We'll speak over breakfast." She nodded, and the guard behind Merlin left.

They both began to eat, with Merlin not showing any signs of slowing down. His plate, once again, was empty in only a few minutes. Morgana put down her food and addressed Merlin.

"It seems you have made a decision. Will you join me?"

He looked into her eyes. This time, she felt no danger emanating from them.

"I have served Arthur for many years now, and I have proven myself to be a trustworthy servant many times over," he began slowly. "But he does not recognize this. Even now, he ignores me here… and leaves me to die. However, it is my duty to serve the Pendragons."

"I see. Your loyalty lies with Camelot, and I cannot change that."

He shook his head. "I didn't say that. Morgana… you are a Pendragon. Now my only duty is to serve you."

She exhaled in relief, smiling. "This is a wonderful day for me. For both of us! Merlin… right now, you have no idea what this means to me. Together… we shall destroy Emrys."

"I will see to it that this enemy of yours also becomes an enemy of mine. Emrys will rue the day he ever crossed you."

She smiled again, and Merlin almost thought he could see the old Morgana in it. "Come. I wish to know the full extent of your powers… but that can come later. For now, I would like you to meet someone."

She stood and led him out of the room and down a hallway. They did not go in the direction of the dungeons, and for the first time Merlin got a better view of the castle he had been imprisoned in for the past month.

For the most part, it was dark. Few windows lit their path, and even fewer candelabras.

It was also very cold. Not as freezing as his cell, but cold enough to make him wish for another coat.

Finally she stopped. "This is where she likes to stay," she said. "She is my closest friend."

Merlin stepped inside cautiously. The sky greeted him from a wide window, the intense light forcing him to squint as his eyes adjusted. "Hello?" he called.

A shape moved. He blinked again, and the creature came into focus.

"This is Aithusa. She and I have been through much together."

The small white beast had been fast asleep, but it sensed Merlin's presence and began to move.

He spun to Morgana. "A dragon?" He had to feign surprise and hope Aithusa's recognition of him wouldn't give him away.

Her smile offered no answers, and Merlin grew cold. This was a test.

"My friend doesn't place her trust in many people. We shall see if she finds you worthy of a place at my side."

Merlin turned his gaze back to Aithusa, who was sniffing him in the same manner a cat might.

"Hello," he said uncertainly. "My name is Merlin."

The dragon made no response.

"Can you speak?" He asked, already knowing the answer.

"I'm afraid not." It was Morgana. "She has never said a word to me, and I fear she is unable to."

Merlin frowned. He was growing increasingly nervous. He couldn't use his powers as a Dragonlord in front of Morgana, and yet if Aithusa judged him badly… "I've never met a dragon who couldn't speak," he muttered, wondering what could have happened to the shining white dragon he'd called into the world to turn her into this.

"What?" said Morgana. "You've met a dragon before?"

Merlin cursed himself- already he'd made a mistake!

"Yes," he answered slowly, "I was there… when Arthur killed him." Now for the tears.

Morgana stood in shock when tears began to fall down his cheeks. "You witnessed the murder of the great dragon?"

He nodded. "There was nothing I could do to stop it… I truly thought the last dragon had perished." Morgana stood in silence as he wiped his hand across his face. "But you have given me hope, Morgana. Just knowing that the dragons have not yet died out is a greater gift than I can ever repay."

Aithusa stopped sniffing his hand. She crooned sadly at Merlin as she saw his tears.

"I am glad… that this burden upon your mind has been lifted." Morgana couldn't believe it. Merlin had to be the one of the prophecy; surely bringing back those terrible memories had deepened his hatred of Arthur. And as for Aithusa, there was no mistake; she clearly trusted him, for she had never let anyone be so close to her.

Merlin no longer took notice of the dragon, however: Morgana saw that once again, he was studying her.

That was it, she realized. That was why she'd been so uneasy. That constant stare was trained on her at all times. He was no longer crying.

It made her doubt herself again. _What if he's somehow fooled Aithusa?_ she wondered. _What if he's not telling the full truth?_

Merlin blinked, and the overpowering stare that had rooted her to the spot was gone.

"I… I don't know what came over me. I'm sorry for sharing that… it must not have been easy for you either to learn of his demise." He turned his gaze back to the dragon, leaning down to examine her better.

"I'm actually quite surprised," Morgana continued. "You are not afraid of her. Many of my soldiers don't dare go near." He made no response: it seemed he hadn't heard her, and was lost in thought. She almost repeated herself when Merlin stood abruptly.

"Quick, get me some bandages and water. She's hurt, badly."

Morgana jumped at the sudden fierceness with which he spoke. "How do you know?"

"Just hurry! I can't believe this… she's got a leg infection." He turned to her. "How long has it been like this?"

She craned her neck to see the wound on the back of the dragon's leg. "I don't know… she must have hurt it while she was hunting…"

"How long?" he asked again.

Morgana shook her head. "A week, perhaps." Her voice trembled.

"Hurry! Do you have any medicines, herbs, a physician?" She shook her head at every single one. "You haven't a physician?" He asked, incredulous.

"I have a few people with knowledge of healing, but they are no proper physicians."

"Bring them here. Tell them to get rosemary and sage, lavender if they have any. They should prevent the infection from spreading…" he trailed off.

When Morgana realized he was finished giving instructions, she went to the door. "Ivor!"

"I heard him, Milady." The servant, who had been standing outside, nodded and hurried to complete the request.

Morgana turned back to her beloved beast, and for the first time saw dull pain in its eyes. She reeled back, horrified. How could she have never noticed?

She glanced at Merlin, and for an instant saw an emotion being directed strongly at her that she could not place, but his gaze returned to the dragon before she could figure it out.

Merlin knew, though. It was pure disgust that tainted his thoughts. It sickened him to think that someone as negligent and selfish as Morgana had earned the reverence and respect of a dragon.

The makeshift physicians arrived, two young men holding armfuls of the herbs he'd called for. He looked at them sadly, knowing that all the rosemary in the world could not cure such a strong infection.

Still, he took the herbs and made do with them, knowing he could only hope for the best. As much as he hated Morgana, to see this creature die would take an irrevocable toll on both of their souls.

**Thanks for reviewing! I really appreciate it. It looks like this story could go a number of ways, and I'm looking forward to seeing what happens myself! It kind of has written itself… which is why I couldn't keep myself from updating so soon. I'm hoping to figure out some plot holes before I move on, so keep an eye out for those and let me know about them ASAP! Thanks! *Also thanks again to zarifa2013. That was one messy mistake on my part, thank you so much!***


	4. Infection

**Thanks for all the reviews I've gotten, you guys are awesome! I did make a pretty bad mistake, though: I forgot that Merlin had already met Aithusa again and learned about her being with Morgana. But I fixed it… and yes I will explain how Morgana knows that her name is Aithusa. Also, I've made Aithusa a "she". Or at least, Morgana's made her a she. I don't think she's very certain either.**

**Anyway, this chapter's going to head temporarily back to Camelot to see what's been going on over there. Hope you like it, keep reviewing! You've been really helpful so far, and I appreciate it a lot!**

Gwen sat next to the window, searching the night sky anxiously. She hadn't received any word from Morgana yet. What could have happened to delay her message?

Finally, a black bird alighted upon the windowsill. She quickly reached for its leg and snatched the paper away.

_Dearest friend, _the letter began, _I cannot meet you as I promised earlier. My beloved Aithusa is ill, and in dire need of treatment. To leave Ismere at this time would be to sentence her to death. Merlin has been of great use, as he is knowledgeable about healing. While he still has yet to prove himself, he may become a willing ally. If so, then he could be the one destined to slay Arthur and Emrys. _

_Meet me in the Darkling Woods in three days' time. I am sorry I am unable to come earlier._

Gwen's heart sank. She'd been hoping to see Morgana's face again. In fact, her visits were the only thing that kept her from going insane and killing Arthur where he stood.

No. To kill Arthur now would betray Morgana's plans… she had to bide her time, and follow Morgana's orders, however much it pained her to see her husband's face and not scowl at it.

But the other bit of news troubled her even more: Merlin. When Morgana had confided to Gwen her plan to control the boy, she'd been unconvinced at best. When Morgana had explained his magic, she was utterly lost. But Gwen couldn't talk Morgana out of the certain mistake she was making. When she had an idea planted in her head, nothing could budge it.

Which was another reason why Gwen had been skeptical in the first place. Morgana was dead set on killing Merlin for the pain he'd caused her. Why the sudden change?

Morgana's response to that? "He has magic, Gwen. If I try to kill him, I might be killing my only ally. After all, the prophecy says that whoever sides with me to kill Arthur will betray him to do so. He's the one we've been searching for!"

Gwen could only give her a doubtful look and hope Merlin was not, in fact, the one they'd been searching for.

There was one more thing that bothered her. Considering Merlin as an ally was bad enough, but considering him her _only _ally? That thought sent angry shivers up her neck.

No, Merlin was bad news. What if he actually harmed Aithusa, instead of helping? Or worse- what if he posed a threat to Lady Morgana herself?

These fears recoiled in her mind, intensifying with each thought, to the point where she nearly leaped out of her seat when the door opened.

"Arthur," she let out, weakly. "I was just waiting for you."

The king had a weariness about him that Gwen was delighted to see. His eyes were dark, and he didn't smile at Gwen's presence as he usually did. Merlin's disappearance had taken its toll on him.

"I'm having George bring dinner up. We haven't eaten together in some time." He stretched, then took off his jacket and laid it out on the bed. "I've been so busy with state affairs that I fear I have overlooked our time together."

"It's no trouble," she said hurriedly. "I'm just worried... about Merlin." She felt a little bit of emotion creep into her voice. It was true that she was worried about him: just not quite the same way Arthur was.

He took little notice of her half-truth, sighing. "I wish we were able to fight Morgana at this time, but we would be overwhelmed too quickly. She has grown strong."

He sat down, spinning a chair so it faced hers. "You've been a little moody lately. Is… something wrong?"

"No, I'm fine. Like I said… I hope Merlin is safe."

He smiled warmly. "We all do."

George arrived with their dinner, and they moved to the table.

"How do you do it, Gwen?" asked Arthur.

"What?"

"How do you face these terrible times with a smile?"

She went pale. Was he accusing her?

Arthur continued. "Even when it seems everything is lost, whenever I see your face… I see hope."

Gwen smiled. "It isn't that hard, Arthur. Just look towards the future, and embrace it." She relaxed.

"Your optimism is contagious. The knights have been talking about you, saying that it's not just Camelot they fight for." He raised his goblet. "They fight for you as well. It's your spirit that keeps us all going."

Her mouth twitched. "That's wonderful," she said, mustering as much cheerfulness as she could.

"Without you, Gwen, Camelot may have fallen already."

At that she choked.

"Are you all right?" he asked, concerned. Gwen wanted more than anything to stand up and scream.

She breathed out, slowly. "I'm fine. It's an honor to know how… inspiring I am to them."

"To me as well."

She nodded. "Right." Where was Morgana at times like this?

…

It was with a heavy sigh that Merlin finished putting the salve on Aithusa's leg.

"Will she be all right?" Morgana had been flitting from one side of the room to the other, trying to get a closer look at what Merlin was doing. Each time, though, he pushed her away. He'd even shouted at her at one point, and now she watched carefully.

He sighed again. "If you had brought her to me the moment she was wounded, I might have been able to fix it. But it has gone unchecked for so long… I fear she may lose her leg."

Morgana knelt next to Merlin. "What can we do?"

"Only a miracle can help her now." He stood. "We'll see if she's improved any tomorrow. Make sure she doesn't walk on it…"

"How am I supposed to command a dragon?!" she exploded.

Merlin stared at her. "Right. Sorry, just… habit, I guess. Gaius always told me that rest is imperative to the healing process."

"But she goes out hunting at night. I cannot stop her, short of chaining her to the wall." When she saw that Merlin had not responded, her heart sank in horror. "You can't be serious…"

"It could be the only way. Just for the night. We will see if she is better in the morning." His blue stare caught her again. "Please."

Tears began to well up in her eyes. "I…" her gaze returned to the dragon.

"Aithusa… please forgive me…"

**So, what's going to happen next? Will Gwen snap? Will Aithusa become healthy again? And how long will Morgana put up with Merlin? Also, where is Mordred in all of this? Right now… I have no clue.**

**Kidding! I'm working on it right now. I'll try to update as soon as I can, which seems to be… every day, as of now. What, it's summer! I have a lot of free time. Anyway, reviews are greatly appreciated! :)**


	5. Detention

**I love this chapter... and I'm glad everyone liked my portrayal of Dark!Gwen. Didn't expect it to be so popular! :) Well, Mordred might not appear any time soon, but trust me, he's definitely going to be important later on. I think I'm going to divide it into parts, and Mordred will be most prominent in part two. Part one is all about establishing trust between Merlin and Morgana, so it'll mostly take place at Ismere. Anyway, Enjoy!**

Morgana fought tears as Aithusa struggled against the chains. Her eyes seemed to scream, _Why?_

She could bear it no longer.

"Close the doors. She will not be leaving any time soon."

A guard did as she asked. Several of them had gathered to complete the monumental challenge of moving the dragon to the dungeon, and now stood awaiting their next orders.

"She will be fine for the night. I promise." Merlin was eyeing her, trying to ascertain her next move.

Morgana gave him a cold stare. "Seize him."

Merlin didn't move when two guards grabbed his arms forcefully. By now he'd been expecting it. "Am I to spend the night in the dungeons again?"

She shook her head. "For what you have done to help Aithusa, I will allow you to stay somewhere more comfortable. However," she moved closer, and said with malice, "If she has not improved by tomorrow, your head will hang from the battlements."

Merlin nodded. "I've done all I can, but I can't guarantee anything."

"We will see." Now that her dragon's life was on the line, Merlin knew she was willing to risk anything for her safety; even a potential alliance.

It didn't hurt that he had a few tricks up his sleeve.

Morgana watched as he was dragged away. She took one last glance at the closed doors before returning to her chambers. There were orders to give and people to see, and Aithusa's condition would have to wait until tomorrow.

…

Merlin was led to a different room this time. It was comfortable enough, with a few small windows and a table in the center. An ornate, but empty wardrobe stood against a wall.

What Merlin really cared about was the bed.

Silky, warm sheets, fluffy pillows, and a soft mattress, all underneath a green canopy. It was more than he could have hoped for; his back had been aching from lying on the ground for so long.

But then he remembered his plan, one that involved staying awake for most of the night. He felt almost sad.

_Pull yourself together, _he said inwardly. _Arthur's right, you are such a girl._

He snorted. Looks like he didn't need Arthur's help in berating himself.

Now, the only thing to do was wait until nightfall.

…

Morgana stood facing the two men who had brought herbs to Merlin.

"From now on, I appoint you both as Head Physicians. You must do your best to fulfill your new duties.

"Milady," began one, confused. "How are we to defend Ismere if we are collecting herbs, or tending to the sick?"

"Your old duties as a guard are no longer in effect. You need now only worry about healing those in need of treatment."

"But we aren't physicians," said the other one. "I beg your pardon, your Highness, but we do not have the skills to heal others…"

"I have already thought of this. Merlin will teach you. He was trained by a talented physician, and I believe he is more than capable of teaching others." She waved her hand. "You are dismissed. Tomorrow will begin your apprenticeship to Merlin."

They bowed their heads and left, more confused than when they had entered.

"My Lady…" It was Ivor who had spoken. The room now held only the two of them.

"You are concerned about Merlin." She faced a window.

"You told him he would only survive if Aithusa did," he said cautiously. "Yet you act as though you have already decided to place your trust in him."

"He has confidence in his work. Ivor… you must give trust to earn it."

She turned to him. "You may leave now."

He bowed. "Very well."

…

The sky was dark enough; it had been dark for a few hours now. He doubted many were awake.

It was the perfect time to act.

He moved to the door, which was locked, as he'd guessed.

"_Aliese duru rýne_," he whispered. The door opened with barely a creak.

He moved slowly, searching for guards. A few came close to crossing his path, but as he made his way to the dungeons he was not stopped.

He pushed open the door to where Aithusa was being kept.

The dragon lifted its head and growled.

"**Nun de ge dei s'eikein kai emois epe'essin hepesthai,**" he said quickly. Aithusa quieted, but gazed at Merlin as though she knew he was to blame for her predicament.

"I'm sorry for doing this to you. I had no choice." He knelt next to her wound and began an incantation. "_Ic þe þurhhæle þin licsare… mid þam sundorcræftas þære ealdaþ æ…_"

The wound began to close. It went from a sickly green color to a dull red, but in his mind Merlin rejoiced; inflammation had a much simpler remedy.

"You'll be fine," he reassured the dragon. She regarded her leg, then looked back at Merlin and crooned an apology. He checked the wound one last time, then decided it was no longer life-threatening.

He decided it was time to speak to Morgana, and this time it would be on his own terms.

…

Morgana sat at her desk, worrying. She was afraid to see Aithusa now, could not bear the image of her helplessness. She'd been trying to put it out of her mind to no avail.

So instead she thought of Merlin. Was it right to take him out of the dungeons?

Yes. If she was to earn his trust, she had to help him believe he had earned hers. Though she was taking extra precautions: she'd doubled the strength of her enchantments around his room, and added her most powerful ones on the lock. This time, he wouldn't be able to escape even if he tried.

So why did she hear footsteps approaching her room?

She did not look up when the door opened. "Ivor," she said with a tinge of annoyance, "I did not send for you. What are you doing here this late?"

"Morgana… I wish to speak to you."

She froze. It wasn't possible.

"Morgana." Merlin addressed her again.

"How did you get in here?" she asked in horror.

"I opened the door." Yes, it was Merlin all right.

She stared at him. "Where are my guards?"

He shrugged. "Asleep. Couldn't have them dragging me away again."

"Your room. I had it enchanted…" her words tumbled out. She hadn't meant to give it away, but the shock of seeing Merlin standing there was all too much.

He looked confused. "I thought it was just locked."

That felt like a kick to the chest. Her charms were so paltry, he hadn't even felt them!

"What do you want?"

"It's about Aithusa."

"It cannot wait until morning?"

"No." He sat across from her. "I need to know what happened to her."

"I told you, she was hurt while hunting…"

"I know about that one. But it's only the most recent of her wounds. She has been crippled, Morgana, and the damage is irreparable. So I ask again… what happened?"

She did not meet his eye. "We were imprisoned by the Sarrum. As Aithusa grew bigger, the cage became smaller…" her voice began to crack.

Merlin's eyes softened in understanding. "I am sorry." He stood and made for the door.

"Wait." Morgana also stood. "Will she be all right?"

Merlin turned back to her. "Her leg will heal."

"But will she live?" She almost pleaded.

He shook his head. "I don't know. But I have done all I can." He walked out, leaving Morgana with a sense of despair.

**By the way, his regular spells are italicized while his dragonlord commands are bolded. I found out that normal spells are in Old English but ****dragonlord commands are actually in Greek. Cool, right! Remember to review, and don't be mad at me for no Mordred yet! *Dodges flying tomato* Hey, only throw rotten fruit at people in the stocks! (Ten minutes later, now in the stocks) I had to open my big fat mouth...**


	6. Reflection

**For those who are wondering why Morgana is willing to trust Merlin so much, even after everything he's done to her, it's because of several things. One: my version of the prophecy says that a sorcerer will betray Arthur and kill him. Now that Morgana knows Merlin has magic, she thinks it is him. Two: She is highly superstitious, and so her thought processes tell her that killing Merlin will go against fate and lead to a karmic reaction that will end in her doom as well. Third: She now knows that Gaius tried to hide her powers from herself, while Merlin told her to seek out the druids. This directs more of her hatred towards Gaius, but less towards Merlin. See? Finally, now that she's already poisoned him, she figures that they're even. Okay, onward with the chapter!**

Merlin had walked back to his room unchallenged, and closed the door behind him.

_Looks like I'll get some sleep after all_, he thought, looking at the bed with optimism.

Sure enough, when he awoke the next morning, he felt as though he'd gotten the best rest in ages.

Morgana was the exact opposite.

She'd entered the dungeon with bags beneath her eyes. She eyed Merlin with caution, and the guards no longer dragged him. It seemed like they were treating him as though he were a dragon himself; no one wanted to get any closer.

_Cowards, _thought Morgana with derision. _They only fear being humiliated again, like last night. _Still, she too kept a respectful distance.

"Your fate will be decided by Aithusa's," she began. "If anything has gone wrong…"

"It hasn't," Merlin said quickly.

She cleared her throat. "Very well. Open the doors."

Two guards moved, and in a moment the dragon was revealed. She held her head to the side, as though posing a question, and made a whirring noise.

"Aithusa…" Morgana ran to her. "Her leg… it's changed…" she stared up at Merlin. "What does it mean? Is it better?"

Merlin went to examine the leg, and made a show of coming up with a diagnosis. "It has improved greatly," he declared. "It is still inflamed… but now she is no longer in danger. She must still rest it, however."

Morgana's face fell. "I cannot keep her chained here."

"No. I couldn't agree more." He looked into Aithusa's eyes this time, and stated, "It will never happen again. I should never have made that decision."

The dragon bowed its head. Morgana watched, breathless.

"It seems… she has accepted your apology."

Merlin turned back to her. "Morgana… you have opened my eyes to so many things… and shown forgiveness for what I have done to you. Why do you do this, when you could leave me to die and be done with it?"

It was not what she'd been expecting. "I feel that it is fate. You have magic, Merlin, and it is not something to be feared. I know now… that is what you wanted to tell me, all those years ago. And I see why you could not."

"If I had, you wouldn't be like this."

"But I am grateful. And now that we are here, together… we can bring Arthur and Camelot down. The world you've always wanted can be yours." She searched his eyes, and Merlin froze, fearing what might come next for some reason.

"That would be all I could ever ask for," he said, quietly.

Morgana stood. "I told you yesterday, I am curious about your powers. Would you like to go for a walk?"

Merlin gazed at her. The tone of their conversation had shifted quickly. "A walk?"

She nodded. "Yes. I have made a promise to some people… that I would introduce you to them." She helped him to his feet. "Remember the two physicians from yesterday? They are eager to learn from you. I expect that Gaius has taught you much."

"He has. But I am not sure about teaching… I have a basic knowledge, nothing more. I'm no expert."

"They need all the help they can get. Even basic training could save lives. After all, if you hadn't been here for Aithusa…"

The dragon had returned to its slumber, but stirred in recognition of its name.

"I understand," said Merlin. "I'll do all I can for them."

She guided him out of the room, and down another hallway. Once again, he saw just how much larger the Fortress of Ismere appeared on the inside than out. Merlin began to notice more and more guards. There were still few windows, but then they descended some stairs. Light spilled into the hallway as Morgana opened a door.

"This is the courtyard," she explained. The wind rushed inside, and Merlin wrapped his arms around himself. Morgana didn't seem to notice. She walked outside with Merlin following.

They had emerged into a small rectangular area, with doors similar to the one they'd walked through set in every wall. A stone path connected them and made an X in the center, with weeds and dirt filling the corners.

The two physicians were standing in the center, and Morgana waved them over.

"I tried to start a garden here once," she began, "I thought it would be useful for potions and such. But nothing would grow. The ground's too frozen. Now, I'm wondering if we could use it to grow herbs." She looked at Merlin inquisitively.

"I suppose with the right spells, I could make it… habitable," he offered. "If I'm to educate these two, they'll need to know about how to grow the plants."

"Um." The one with light brown hair spoke. "I'm Roderick, and this is Thomas." He gestured to his blonde companion.

"Right. Well, for starters, I'll need to show you different herbs, and where to find them. Do you have anywhere that you keep them?"

"Yes" they answered in unison. "We have a medical cupboard… it's also in our new living quarters." Thomas looked at Morgana, as though he still wasn't certain about his new job.

"Well, go on. Take us there."

It was not far. They crossed the courtyard, which opened to yet another hallway. They turned to the right and opened a door, which was clearly home to the new physicians.

The room was bare except for hanging plants and dried bundles attached to the wall. He saw mostly common plants, but was surprised at how many essential herbs were missing.

"Don't you have any feverwort, or comfrey?"

"They're hard to come by."

"Well, you're going to need to find some. And these aren't drying correctly… you need to press these flowers for the most potency. We need some kind of cot here, for patients… and do you know where we can find a distilling device? They're extremely useful for creating elixirs. Also we'll need a mortar and pestle for grinding…"

He rattled off as many things as he could remember, then sent Thomas and Roderick away with descriptions of the herbs they would need to find. Then, he turned to Morgana. "I'll need a book of some sort, for drawing pictures of plants and what they can be used for."

"You're going to fill an entire book?"

He shook his head. "I'm probably going to try to remember what Gaius' books looked like, and copy them to the page with magic." He slipped into a reverie. "I've done it before, forging documents… it's not difficult. Though it certainly had Uther confused." He chuckled a little bit.

"Wait…" Morgana tried to remember. "That time, when Lancelot came forward with fake papers… that was you?"

He grinned. "I felt like I owed him, for saving my life." But then he remembered where he was, and frowned. "That was a long time ago, though, and he no longer matters to me."

"Of course," she replied. "I once felt that way towards him as well. As though we had a connection." She snickered. "They all do that to you; make you think they're your friends, that they're there to protect you. Yes, the knights of Camelot. Such upstanding models for the rest of us… so they can go slay innocent people and you'll love them all the more for it." Merlin glanced at her face to see hatred twisting her features. "They serve only evil. Arthur's reign must end, and only then can they be freed from his tyranny."

"You do not wish to kill them?"

"I wish for as little bloodshed as possible. After all, the people will only remain loyal to me if the knights of Camelot swear their allegiance. If I killed them, it would cause panic. The people look up to them too much." She turned to him. "No, the only blood I want is Arthur's."

"I see. Although I share your hatred of Camelot, I am glad you do not wish to destroy the knights. It is wise to use them instead." Merlin doubted the validity of this statement. After all, he'd already seen how loyal the knights were to Arthur.

They stood in silence for a few moments, staring out of a window at the cold sky. Merlin was about to suggest eating lunch when Morgana spoke. "It seems those two will not return for a while. Why don't we go to the courtyard for a demonstration?"

Merlin cast a skewed glance. "Demonstration?"

"Of your powers, of course."

Ah. He'd been planning for this moment.

"Of course," he repeated. She smiled. Every time she grinned, he couldn't help but see a piece of what she had once been. Was there anything actually left of that Morgana, he wondered.

Doubtful… but then again, how could evil be so hospitable?

He followed her back into the sunshine. Well, she had locked him in a dungeon… but she'd also promised forgiveness for his past transgressions.

_She only wants to use you to complete the prophecy. She's only treating you this way to make you trust in her… _But even with that he still found it hard to believe that such a black heart could give such a genuine smile.

It was too early to say, but maybe Morgana wasn't entirely doomed.

**So maybe Morgana only thinks she's jumped off the Slippery Slope… and what does that mean for Merlin? Also, what's happening in Camelot? Yup, more Gwen up next, and in a few chapters the story will start to mirror the original plot. Just not in the way you might expect… Make sure you review! **


	7. Destruction

**I stole some of the spells from the Merlin wiki, (borrowed… not stole) **** but the spell from this chapter that Morgana uses was from an Old English translator I found online, and I got it after mashing the results together. The words mean something like "violent flame, flame of destruction" but anyone who actually knows Old English probably wouldn't recognize it. ****:D Rendering languages impossible to understand is fun! ****I will be putting a twist on the original plot, but that's a bit further off than I realized… so probably not for quite a few chapters. But it seems like you guys are okay with that. Before I start rambling, enjoy!**

Once back in the courtyard, Merlin went over what spell he'd already decided to display for Morgana; a simple, yet impressive one.

She stood to the side, waiting expectantly. "What are you planning?" she called.

"You'll see." He held out his hand, closing his eyes. As he reopened them, they flashed a brilliant gold. "_Forbearne!"_

A great fireball sped towards the far side of the courtyard, but fizzled out of existence before touching anything. He launched another one, and then another, but a mistake seemed to occur as the third one wavered on its path, shrinking in size until it was put out by the wind.

Merlin bent over, exhausted. Or at least, he hoped he looked like it.

"Sorry. Just… let me catch my breath. They're a bit difficult to aim."

"It's no trouble. In fact, I think I may be able to help." She moved to his side. "The word you are using simply means burn. It creates an open flame, and I'm impressed you managed to control it with just one word. However, the extra effort can tire you out quickly. Try this." She held her palms outward. "_Forbearne,__bælegsa bælþracu."_

The fireball burned with a much brighter intensity than his first one, but was smaller and more focused.

"I see," he said. Of course, he knew what the spell meant, but he asked anyway, "What did that do?"

"It let me choose a target, instead of just a general direction. And because the spell was more specific, it allowed me to use less energy in focusing it. You try."

He made another stance. "_Forbearne,__bælegsa-"_

That was where the spell finished before he did, and a white wall of searing heat roared to life. Before they could run for cover, it died down as quickly as it had emerged, turning first blue, violet, then red as it shrank. Morgana felt the stones, which were cool to the touch.

"For a moment, I thought that came from Hell itself. You must be among the truly powerful… but I'll need to teach you how to wield your magic." She stood. "It doesn't appear that you've had much training."

"Gaius would never let me use magic. It endangered us both." He stared at the ground, hoping to appear uncomfortable.

Morgana stared with concern. "What's wrong?"

"I'm… a little embarrassed," he falsely admitted. "If that had gone wrong… well, I might have hurt you."

"Nonsense. It's Gaius who is to be blamed. I understand that not only did he hide the truth from me, he stifled you as well." Her eyes flashed with anger. "He will suffer for what he's done."

Now it was Merlin's turn to be concerned. He let only a hint of it show on his face, however. "I thought you said you were only going to hurt Arthur."

She straightened. "I'm not going to kill Gaius. I only said that he needed to be punished."

Merlin's eyes widened. He turned away before Morgana could notice. "Of course."

She laid a hand on his shoulder. "I know how much you care for him."

"How could I not? He let me stay with him, even though it was dangerous, and he always protected my secret." He sighed. "But I suppose… maybe some of his decisions were not for the best."

"He kept you hidden from the world. He never would have let you reach your full potential."

Merlin's vision went blurry. He rubbed his stinging eyes before saying, "A month ago, I would have disagreed. But now I can see the truth. Everything he's told me about you is a lie." He sniffed. "You're right. He always told me that if I used magic, I would get caught. And that getting caught would mean death…"

"I know how you feel. When Uther was alive, I lived in constant fear of being discovered." Her eyes softened. "But you are here now. You no longer need to be afraid. In time, I will teach you all that I have learned." She watched his nose start to run. "It's cold. Would you like to go inside?"

He nodded. His head was starting to pound; not all of the sniffling had been faked.

If he came down with a cold now, it would not help his plans.

_It's this blasted weather. I swear, I haven't been warm in a month, _he complained inwardly.

…

The sun shone with full force in Camelot. It melted the streets and left people with rolled up cloaks under their arms.

Gwen had watched the sunrise from her usual place at the window, awake with anticipation before dawn. Only one more day before she could see Morgana again.

It had been almost a month since she'd been visited by the High Priestess, who'd spent almost every day interrogating their prisoner. Had Aithusa healed? Was Merlin to be trusted? The last question turned her stomach sour as she contemplated Morgana's faith in him. Surely she hadn't let him out of her sight, and was going to lock him up as soon as she left for Camelot. Surely, her attention was turned only to her most faithful servant.

Gwen stopped clenching her teeth -she wondered how long she'd been doing it- and began to follow another thought.

Was she _jealous_ of Merlin?

It was a strange emotion, and her head swarmed at the idea. She'd never quite felt it before, but the loathing she felt for Merlin seemed totally natural. There was concern for Morgana mixed in, of course; but a prominent part of her feelings had shifted to Merlin, and there was no doubt about it now.

He had to be treated as an enemy.

"Gwen." A groan came from the bed, sounding like it belonged to a grumpy king. "What are you doing awake so early?"

"It's not early." She grabbed his arm and helped him stand. "It's time for you to get up."

Once he was on his feet, she started to dress him. It was one of the things she hated the most about Arthur: how truly helpless he was. And yet, he'd been entrusted with a kingdom!

It was maddening. The sooner Morgana took the throne, the better.

She gave one final tug on his armor. "There. All ready for training with the knights."

"Thank you, Gwen." He pulled her in for a kiss. Or at least, tried to.

Gwen squirmed out of the way, so all he could manage was a peck on the cheek.

"You can't be here with me all day. Go on, time to train!"

"But I haven't even eaten breakfast yet."

"George can bring it to you. Don't leave them waiting."

He breathed in. "There's something wrong. I can always tell."

"What?"

"It's still about Merlin."

Her smile fell. Arthur sighed. "I know. We've all been worried about him… you especially. That's why I've been planning something."

Her eyebrows rose. "Really?"

"I meant for it to be a surprise… but the knights and I want to plan for a rescue mission."

"Oh Arthur, that's far too dangerous-"

"It would be, if we didn't know anything about Ismere. We've only seen a portion of the castle, and trying to find our way around by memory won't work. However, we have someone who is willing to come forward with information."

Gwen felt her heartbeat quicken. "Who?"

"I cannot say any more. I promised I would not reveal his identity. But he knows the layout of the fortress very well… considering he's a guard."

"You can tell me, Arthur. I'm certain that whoever he is, he won't mind if you share it with me."

Arthur gave a sigh. "His name is Ivor. Morgana trusts him, so he's extremely nervous about giving us the information."

Gwen's heart fluttered. Morgana would be pleased to hear this!

"It's noble of you to be doing this… but are you sure you can risk lives just to save one person?"

"All of the knights agreed with me. No one deserves to be imprisoned by Morgana. Besides, there are a few other missing knights as well. I have a feeling that we'll find them at Ismere." He stared into her eyes. "And I couldn't bear to see you upset over Merlin any longer."

"Arthur…" that was quite a blow to the head. She shook it off; she had news for Morgana, and she had to send word straightaway-

No. Someone might see a raven in broad daylight… As infuriating as it was, she had to wait until nightfall.

"We will be safe. I promise you. We'll be in and out before Morgana ever realizes we were there."

_I highly doubt that, _thought Gwen. "I know," she whispered.

Arthur gave her a final grin before disappearing into the corridor. Gwen waited until his footsteps fell silent, then hurried to begin her letter.

_I have exciting news, _she wrote. _There is a traitor in your midst, a guard by the name of Ivor…_

…

**I know, OCs are bad, but I figured I needed some sort of scapegoat other than Merlin, and Ivor started as some random guy, but he's gotten a little more limelight than that. You'll see what I mean. Hope you enjoyed it…For now, review! :) **


	8. Reception

**I already get the feeling this chapter's going to be confusing. Warning: slight Mindscrew ahead. Depending on your definition of slight.**

**Also, I had a hard time figuring out how far Ismere was from Camelot. I figured a few days, but now it's looking like maybe a week. And then I realized I wrote myself into a corner by saying Morgana would meet Gwen in three days… but then I left her with only one day to get there. So for the sake of plot… Ismere is going to be really close to Camelot. It was either that, or invent teleporting. Which would mean revising the already intricate plot I'm making here. And that would lead to even more mindscrew. I'm rambling. It is 1 am. Anyway, enjoy!**

The sun had set over Ismere.

Actually, mused Merlin, the sun never really set. The sky would be gray overcast in the morning, and gradually darken as the day went by. Eventually, only blackness would remain.

There were no vivid red or orange streaks as the sun sank below the horizon, and even if there were, you wouldn't see it for all the trees obstructing it. In fact, the only bits of color that stood out among the solemnity of the area were the trees themselves, and they too had a drab appeal.

He'd been a little shocked at how quickly he adapted back into the world of eating regularly. And sleeping in a bed, no less: the previous two nights had been heavenly, all aches and pains gained from lying in the dirt forgotten.

But he missed the deep gold and red of Camelot's banners, the proud uniform of the knights. He missed the people too, but to think of them would bring some sort of emotion to his face, and right now was not the best time to shed a tear.

Now, he had to act the way Morgana might expect of him, which was to comment on the welfare of the newly planted herbs in the courtyard.

"They'll be resistant to the cold. I made sure of that. Gaius taught me about how to preserve plants using magic. Of course, that's all he ever let me do."

"Using you for his personal gains. Every time I hear you speak of that man…" Morgana trailed off. "He's the same as my father was."

Merlin didn't comment. Instead, he brought her attention to her plan, which she'd shared with him after receiving Gwen's note. "Shouldn't you be leaving for Camelot soon?"

"I will make for the Darkling Woods within the hour."

"And meet Gwen by nightfall?"

"That is correct. You know what you must do here."

"I do."

"Then I must go. I have to make sure I'm far away before Arthur's men arrive. And," she muttered, "I have a traitor to catch."

Merlin couldn't help but chuckle at that. "Traitor? Surely you don't mean that. It was a mistake."

"A near fatal one." She read Gwen's note again, then crumpled it in her hand. "She'd better have an explanation for this when I get there."

…

Ivor rode like his life depended on it. He was already half a day into his journey. Camelot could be reached in a day and a half of hard riding.

"Hyah!" he spurred the horse onward. Soon, Arthur would have everything he would need to launch an attack on Ismere.

Ivor grinned. Everything was going according to plan.

…

Gwen watched as the man strode confidently into the Great Hall. She memorized his face and sneered inwardly. Very soon, this man would be dead. Morgana would make certain of that.

"I have the plans detailing the fortress's interior," he said, withdrawing a scroll. "It was not easy to get, and I fear for my life even now."

"You will be recognized for your service to Camelot." Arthur took the parchment and unfurled it. "This will be incredibly useful… but what will you do after this? Will you return to Morgana's side?"

"Actually, sire… I was hoping I could join you on your mission." He stood straighter. "It would give me no greater pleasure than to see that witch burn."

Gwen fought a smile. Oh how wrong he was. Morgana would have received her letter by now, and would be preparing for the attack.

She would not let the traitor escape so easily.

…

Gwen reached the clearing. Finally, she would be able to meet Morgana. Doubt had clouded her mind for so long, but as she neared the meeting place she had to fight to walk, and not run. As a silhouette came into view she didn't think of checking behind. The thought of being silent didn't even cross her mind as she exclaimed, "Morgana!"

Ivor had followed her from the castle, as silently as a shadow. He stopped, watching the scene unfold.

Morgana saw Gwen. Her face contorted. Then, she raised her hand.

The slap rang through the trees. Gwen reeled backward and held her cheek, hurt and confused.

"Morgana?"

"Of all the things you could have done, Gwen! You almost caused the destruction of my entire plan!"

"Plan…" nothing was making sense. Wasn't Morgana pleased?

"You showed interest in Ivor. What if Arthur had gotten suspicious? What if you'd been discovered?"

"I- I don't-"

"And you sent a raven in the middle of the day! How dare you do such a thing? You've endangered us all with your carelessness."

"I knew I had to wait… I'm sorry for sending the letter, but it was important-"

"All you did was tell me what I already knew. Ivor!"

Gwen turned in shock.

Ivor knelt to the ground. "Everything has gone according to plan, my lady."

…

_The day before…_

Roderick and Thomas watched closely as Merlin demonstrated. "Comfrey has many uses. It's easy to recognize, because of the flowers." He held a bell-shaped purple flower aloft. "However, in the winter they close. So how do you find it then?"

"The leaves," answered Thomas.

"Correct. And while that was a hypothetical question, it is best to gather as many herbs as you can during the spring, because of their scarcity in the winter months."

Morgana viewed the scene with approval. Merlin had said he wouldn't be a good teacher, but in no time the two physicians had learned quite a bit from the warlock.

Suddenly, a raven alighted on the ground. Morgana stared at it, confused. It shouldn't have arrived at this time of day. Unless Gwen had done something extremely unwise…

She bent over and untied a note from the bird's leg. Merlin had noticed it as well. "What's that?" he asked.

"It's from Gwen. But she wasn't supposed to send me anything else, unless something went wrong." She read the note quickly and cursed.

"Damn that girl's foolishness!"

_I have exciting news. There is a traitor in your midst, a guard by the name of Ivor. I learned about him from Arthur. He plans to attack Ismere as soon as he's learned of the layout of the fortress, which Ivor will freely supply. You do not have much time._

Merlin read the note by Morgana's side. "Shouldn't you be happy about this? You've caught a traitor before he can act…"

She sighed. "No, no, no. This has gone completely wrong. Ivor is no traitor, he's acting under my instructions!"

Now Merlin was confused. "But it says here-"

"Yes, he is riding to Camelot as we speak. It is part of my plan. Arthur wouldn't attack me here without a considerable advantage. And if you showed up out of nowhere at Camelot's gates after being gone for so long… it would look suspicious."

"You were planning to return me to Camelot?" he fought to keep the joy out of his voice, but the statement came out sounding like weak horror.

"Yes. How else would you act as an informant? You're of no use to me stuck here." Her eyes widened, and she quickly said, "T-that's not what I meant. I mean, you are incredibly useful, but-"

"Yes, Morgana. I understand what you meant." He gave a sigh, as though returning to Camelot was the worst possible thing he could do. "I do not want to leave here. My enemies are all within Camelot's walls. But it must be this way, until you take the throne. Only then will Camelot once again be a place of solace for me, and those with magic."

Morgana nodded. "Your bravery will not go unrewarded. I'm glad you see it this way… Gwen would not have done the same." She stared at the note sadly. "Gwen's mind is sharp… but I fear that I may have…" she shook her head. "It is nothing. I will meet her tomorrow night, and ask her to explain herself. Sending a letter to me in broad daylight… she had better hope no one saw her, or the situation could become dire."

Merlin still needed clarification. "So you're the one who told Ivor to betray you… so Arthur would come attack you here."

"Yes."

"But what about your guards, your servants? Aren't you concerned for…" but then he realized something. He'd thought it was strange, that during his entire imprisonment he'd seen very few guards and servants. Like she'd been keeping only a bare minimum…

And she'd locked away most of her people.

"You've been planning this for a while."

"Very sharp, Merlin. I never planned to stay here forever. It was only my search for the key to all knowledge which led me to this place… but that search has yielded nothing." Merlin strained to look neutral. "Instead," she continued, "I have found a nearby abandoned castle. It will suit my needs quite nicely, and it is much closer to Camelot."

"But how am I to report my findings to you? Once I am back in Camelot, we will be separated."

She smiled. "The ravens will keep an eye on you. If you need to send word to me, all you must do is attach a note to one and it will reach me within a few hours. Similarly, I will be able to contact you. The ravens will never be far, and if you are in danger one will notify me straightaway."

This was slightly troubling. If this was true, he wouldn't be able to do anything without Morgana finding out about it.

"I wish you a safe trip… my lady."

If she was surprised at the title, she didn't show it. "I'm not leaving yet. There is still time. Why don't you give your apprentices another lesson before you return to Camelot?"

"That sounds wonderful. I'll teach them how to plant herbs…"

**So, Gwen sorta made herself look bad there. But no worries, Morgana's cool with it, right?**


	9. Inflection

**My updates have been getting later and later. I wrote the last chapter at 1 am, but I didn't put it up until around 9 pm. And this update is pretty late too, sorry about that. So anyway, I hope the last chapter wasn't too confusing… let's pick up where we left off!**

Gwen endured the way Morgana was ignoring her for Ivor's news and rubbed where she'd been slapped. It stung, but it wouldn't leave a mark.

"And when will Arthur leave for Ismere?"

"Tomorrow morning."

"A little earlier than I expected. But the castle will be empty when he arrives… save for the prisoners. And we'll have ourselves a new informant."

With a burst of anger, Gwen realized they were talking about Merlin. Her heart seethed. "You're going to trust him?"

"Enough, Gwen!"

She felt ashamed and confused. "Why didn't you tell me about your plan?"

Morgana fell silent. She didn't really know why she hadn't told Gwen the plan… but then again, she'd been withholding most secrets from her now. It was a feeling that had sprouted of general dislike towards the girl.

"Don't you trust me?" she sniveled.

"Hold your tongue. You serve me, and you will do as I say!" she roared. It was clear now, painfully so. Every time she saw Gwen, she saw her sitting on the throne in Camelot.

_Her _throne.

Gwen's rage boiled until tears leaked out. She only nodded, and kept silent for the duration of their conversation. At last the two of them finished speaking, almost quiet enough for Gwen not to hear.

"You have done well, Ivor." She turned to Gwen. "Stop wasting time here, before someone notices your absence."

Gwen nodded again, then trudged back through the undergrowth. Ivor watched her leave.

"My lady… are you sure-"

"She is my servant, and she will not fail me again. Or she will face the consequences."

"Understood."

"You should hurry back as well. If you were to disappear, it would seem suspicious."

"Yes, my lady."

Both of them left, making no noise and leaving no footprints.

…

Morgana had found a new room to call her chambers.

It was modest, with just a simple bed and a dresser, but it would suffice. It left extra room to pace, which she did now.

She couldn't help but think about Gwen. She wanted to be furious with her and blame her for the situation. After all, Gwen shouldn't have sent a message in the middle of the day, and she should have known…

But that was the part that made her doubt herself. She hadn't told Gwen about the plan. And it was her fault…

_Stop it!_

But she could no longer hide her true emotion. She didn't hate Gwen, she felt… _guilt._

"She betrayed me," Morgana muttered. "She acted stupid…"

But that was the very reason she felt guilty. The real Gwen would never have been so foolhardy. It was the hollow Gwen that had made the mistake.

The one that was so hell-bent on being loyal to Morgana that she wouldn't- no, couldn't- put her own safety first.

"Damn that foolish girl!" she cried again. But was it possible?

Had the spell, which forced her to join Morgana in the first place, ruined her mind to do so?

"Of course it did. She never would have joined me otherwise…"

But had it actually dulled her wits?

That was one of the reasons Morgana had wanted Gwen by her side. The girl had a sharp intellect, but ever since she'd fallen under the spell had her mind deteriorated?

"It's not possible," she decided. "Gwen's fine." There was no reason to worry over her maidservant's mental capabilities when there were more pressing matters to deal with.

And so she folded the matter away in the back of her mind to focus on other issues.

Soon, she would have a new spy in Camelot… one that might possibly be more reliable than Gwen.

…

Merlin had been resting when a guard knocked on the door. He stood, stretched, and crossed the room to open it.

"Lord… ah, sir," the guard began awkwardly, "it is time for you to return to the dungeons."

Merlin nodded. "Very well. How long do you think it will take for Arthur's men to arrive?"

"We have a day and a half, maybe less."

"Just… give me a little longer. I need a to go for a walk. I'll meet you at the entrance."

The guard only nodded, and stepped away from the door. Merlin exited the room and wandered down the hallway, trying to remember where to go. Passing a familiar doorway, he looked inside, but there was no dragon. Aithusa was most likely out hunting, and Morgana had assured him she would be able to find her again. But Merlin had wanted to pay her a visit… this time in secret.

"**O drakon áspros, e mala soi ftengometh tesd'hup anankes! Erkheo!**" He shouted to the night sky. The huge window gaped, offering nothing but a blanket of stars. He waited for five minutes before a white shape emerged, getting closer every second. Aithusa glided gracefully through the window, staring at Merlin expectantly.

"I need to check your leg again," he said. The dragon sat still and held forward its leg. Merlin examined it, and deemed it satisfactory.

"You're good to go. It looks like you've been keeping off of it… taking my advice, I assume?"

Aithusa nudged her head against his body. Already, she was starting to look healthier. Merlin could see that she would be crippled, possibly forever, but ever since he'd arrived at Ismere, he'd definitely seen a change in her demeanor.

"I should go now. You know where to find Morgana?"

The dragon didn't make any response. She seemed content to set her large, scaly head in Merlin's lap and sigh happily.

"I… can't move," he voiced. He thought of commanding the dragon to leave, but then she nudged him again, pressing her head into the palm of his hand. She wanted to be petted?

Merlin scratched behind her ears, thinking all the while, _I never thought I'd see a dragon behave like a dog._

A really big dog.

They sat like this for a while. Merlin's legs started to go numb, but he didn't mind. Aithusa wanted to be scratched all over, snorting if Merlin missed a spot.

"I see why you like Morgana so much. She's the only one brave enough to give you a pat on the head, I suppose." After a while, he managed to get one leg out from underneath the dragon. She lifted her head and stared, her eyes a little bit hurt.

"I need to leave now," he said quietly. "You need to find Morgana."

Aithusa stared, uncomprehendingly. With a heavy sigh, Merlin gave it a command.

"**Afiste, lefkou drákon, kai na vrei Morgana!**"

With a short snap of protest, Aithusa flapped out the window and disappeared from view once more.

"I hope to see you soon," he said, then returned to the hallway. It was time to fulfill his side of Morgana's plan.

Two guards were waiting at the entrance to the dungeon.

"I hope I didn't keep you two very long," Merlin said apologetically.

"The fortress is mostly empty," said one. "But we have decided to stay longer, and watch over the prisoners."

"Arthur's men will find you here. How will you defend yourselves?"

"We serve Lady Morgana, even to the end."

Merlin didn't know what to say to this. "Well, I have one request before you take me down there again."

"What is it?"

"I need you to hit me in the face."

That got their attention. They stared, puzzled.

"I'm serious. I need you to punch me in the face. Make sure you leave a bruise."

"Why?"

"Well, there are a lot of civilians down there who don't know me, but there are also some knights who may have recognized me by now. My cell is beyond theirs, and they probably know that I haven't been there for a few days. They think I'm being interrogated, but if I show up without any scars... it may look suspicious."

The guards eyed each other, suddenly nervous. "But-"

"Don't worry. I'll be fine. Just… make it quick."

One of them shrugged, then drew back a fist. "I apologize if this hurts."

It connected with his cheek in a burst of color. He barely felt it as the guards picked him up and dragged him back into the darkness. He heard a door slam shut and found, once again, four stone walls staring back at him.

**Yay, Merlin and Aithusa! I'd been so busy writing about Gwen and Morgana, I started to miss him. I hope he wasn't gone for too long. I think Aithusa in this chapter was inspired by my Husky. She makes me rub her belly every single day. XD XD XD**

**Anyway, we'll be back in Camelot soon! I wonder how Morgana's going to keep an eye on him… and how Merlin's going to find a way to permanently ruin her plans! That is, if he can stay on top of them without looking suspicious.**

**Merlin: Why don't I just quit pretending to help Morgana and end this useless-**

**Me: Do you want to save Camelot or not?**

**Merlin: Well yeah…**

**Me: Then keep up, won't you? You're doing this for Arthur's sake, trust me! It'll keep Mordred from killing him, I promise.**

**Merlin: Wait, tell me about my future!  
Me: Sorry, end of the chapter, and sorry again for the late update (seriously, it's like 12 am) and reviews are greatly appreciated!**


	10. Dedication

**Yaaaay, ten chapters!** **Wasn't sure I'd make it this far, but I've gotten such positive feedback that I'm going to see this thing through! **

**Also: how does a returning villain sound? I promise I'm not bringing anyone back from the dead (though personally I thought Nimueh's death was a Waste of a Perfectly Good Villain)((blargh TV tropes)) but I kinda was wondering… anyway, let me know what you think of that. Enjoy!**

Arthur lay awake with his eyes turned upward. The stars twinkled in rhythm with the fluttering embers of the campfire, rising on the breeze.

He cast his thoughts toward Gwen, who'd seemed particularly upset by something when he left. He supposed it was concern for him and the knights, but knew it also had to be her fear for Merlin's safety.

"Ivor," he said quietly.

"Your highness?" came the reply. So the guard was also awake.

"Did you ever get a good look at the dungeons?"

"Yes, sire."

"Were there any prisoners… who stood out, perhaps?" He didn't know why he phrased the question this way.

Ivor answered, confused, "I'm not sure of what you're talking about."

"I mean… were there any who looked like they were knights of Camelot?"

"Yes. I recognized them by their armor…"

"And do you know if they are still alive?"

"Yes. Many of them put up a fight, but Morgana did not want them to die."

"Why not?"

"She wishes for their loyalty. She knows they are a beacon of hope for the people, and that if she were to destroy them, she'd destroy their image of her."

"What image? They already hate her. They'd never accept her as their ruler."

"I am aware of this… but she is not. She is consumed with the idea."

"Incredible," he murmured. "Did you see any other prisoners… who might have come from Camelot?"

"You mean that weren't knights? I don't believe so. Foot soldiers aren't the most inspirational to the people… so Morgana had them killed quickly."

A pit began to form in his stomach. He doubted his manservant was dead, but he had to ask. "Did you happen to know if there were any who went by the name of Merlin?" he asked.

There was silence for a few moments. "I'm afraid not," came the eventual reply. "I was not familiar with the individual prisoners themselves."

The feeling of dread intensified. "Thank you. I know that coming here was a difficult choice."

"It was not as difficult as it seems. After all, when faced with the choice of letting a serpent go or cutting off its head…"

Silence filled the camp once again. It seemed Ivor was finished with speaking. Arthur returned his gaze to the sky, and found himself desperately hoping for Merlin's survival.

Suddenly, a white shape flew across his line of vision. Almost instinctively, he grabbed his sword and cried out. "Dragon from the north!"

Immediately the knights were on their feet, rubbing the sleep from their eyes. Before they could reach for their weapons, the creature had crossed overhead and vanished above the trees.

"What the hell was that?" Gwaine, who had managed to unsheathe his sword, grouchily stabbed the ground with it. The other knights groggily put their weapons down, disbelief across their faces.

"Morgana must know we are here. We have to move." Arthur stood. "Get the horses ready. We must hurry to Ismere!"

As soon as everyone had been shaken awake and the horses saddled, Gwaine hurried to Arthur's side.

"Was that… the dragon from before?"

"It appeared to be the very same."

"Where could Morgana have gotten it from, anyway?"

"I haven't the foggiest."

"Well, what are we going to do about it?"

Arthur turned to the knight and said, solemnly, "I've killed a dragon before. There's no question whether I could do it again."

…

Morgana had fallen asleep at the table, awake with anxiety for most of the night. She hadn't even noticed when her face touched the wood and her eyes closed.

It was morning, but the sun had not yet risen.

_Arthur must be nearly at Ismere by now, _she thought. The fortress would be nearly empty, save for the prisons, and once Arthur arrived Ivor would disappear. Hopefully Arthur would not notice his absence, but if he did he would just assume he'd been tricked once again.

She smiled at the thought of Arthur's face when he'd realize his mistake. It was about time he learned just how many steps Morgana was ahead of him. It might make him wary, but it could also send him over the brink of his sanity.

She could kill him instantly. She could make it quick and painless, and the throne would be hers.

But she wanted to cause him as much suffering as possible. So she was patient. She had to make a plan. She would expose all of his flaws and weaknesses, and get the knights on her side as well. Camelot, like a stone buried in the dirt, was smooth and shiny on one side, but rotten and crawling with maggots on the other. All she had to do was slowly pry the stone out of the ground.

And, when the time was right, she would reveal just how "loyal" the people surrounding him truly were.

A flapping noise brought her away from her thoughts. She turned to the window and gasped with surprise.

"Aithusa!" she cried, running to her beloved dragon. "You're back."

She seemed agitated, though, as if she wanted to be somewhere else but could not leave.

"What's wrong?" It was at times like this that Morgana's heart sank for Aithusa. "If only you could speak…"

Morgana knew that she could speak. It was how she'd learned her name, after all.

But she'd only said it once, and that was the last time she'd given any sign of knowing how to form words.

And she knew that dragons, as a species, were extremely intelligent. Merlin had all but confirmed this when he told her of the Great Dragon's aptitude for speech.

"Then why don't you speak?" she wondered aloud with concern.

Perhaps…

Morgana wasn't sure, but she did have several books on dragon lore. Maybe somewhere was a spell to cure Aithusa of whatever she seemed to be suffering from.

She exited the room in search of her spellbooks.

Aithusa padded along behind her master, curiosity splayed across her face. Morgana had already tried and failed with several spells, but the few that seemed powerful enough to work were too difficult to use.

_Morgause would know what to do_, she thought. Grief welled up within her.

"Arthur will pay, sister. Soon, everything we worked for will be achieved." She then resumed her search, and found the room she was looking for. It was filled with books that she'd collected and had moved here, and was also a temporary storehouse for herbs and anything her common spells might require.

But as she scanned pages and felt the sun begin to warm her back as it rose, she began to despair.

"I've already seen these a thousand times! There's got to be something else." She slammed a book shut in frustration, but then an idea came to her. She picked up a different book, one that was much thinner than the others.

It was a dragonlord training manual, and she'd already deemed it useless. She couldn't even read anything in it: she knew many spells, but these had unfamiliar letters and looked even more ancient than the runes she already had trouble deciphering.

It did, however, contain many detailed illustrations.

She opened it, turning a few pages to find a dragon breathing flames. A man standing behind it seemed to be instructing it to do so. There were more pictures, of a dragon sleeping, hunting, and there was even one with a figure riding its back. But she didn't see any that looked useful until she flipped a few more pages.

This part seemed to be about how to care for a dragon. It showed one being hatched from an egg, a dragonlord waiting to bring it into the world.

She turned to Aithusa and said, playfully, "It's a shame there aren't any more dragonlords. Your birth must have been lonely."

The facing page made her heart stop.

It showed a dragon with words coming from its mouth. A dragonlord stood in front of it, repeating the same thing.

"Is that how you learn to talk? You need to be taught… by a dragonlord?"

She hoped it wasn't true, because it meant there was no way for her dear Aithusa to ever speak.

The dragon raised her head as Morgana sunk to the ground. Her claws clicked on stone as she inspected her master, her eyes full of questions. _What's wrong? _They seemed to ask.

"There's nothing I can do for you, Aithusa. All of the dragonlords are gone… I'm the only one who can help you, and I can't even read this stupid book!"

She threw it to the other side of the room.

Aithusa thudded softly to where the book had flown, and sniffed it. She took it in her mouth and left the room. Morgana didn't move from where she'd fallen, and dejectedly stared at her hands.

The dragon went back to Morgana's room, opting to fly out the same way she'd come in. After all, she'd been told to find Morgana, but now that she'd completed that task, there was nothing keeping her here.

She set off, one thing clear in her mind: _Merlin needs this book._

…

**I'm starting to run out of ideas for chapter titles. I thought the –tion thing was going to work… but it's getting harder and harder to find relevant words. :p Oh well. I'll change it up for part 2. Anyway, review and let me know what you think of a returning villain!**


	11. Detection

**I'm trying to stay ahead on updates… but I'll be gone in a few days for a family trip. I'll write a ton of chapters though, and post them all when I get back. Keep doing what you're doing and stay awesome!**

Merlin wasn't sure how he'd fallen asleep, but one moment he'd been contemplating when Arthur would arrive and the next he was being shaken awake by the very same person.

"Get up, Merlin… come on you idiot, we didn't come all this way to find you dead!"

"It's good to know you didn't forget about me." He let out a cough. Arthur stood up quickly, alarm etched all over his face. Merlin was certain he looked a lot worse than he felt. His eye really hurt, but his suspicions were confirmed when Arthur sucked in a breath.

"Good god Merlin, what happened to you?"

Merlin stood slowly. "Oh… you know, just… interrogations…"

He fell silent at that. "I am sorry, my friend."

Merlin peered quizzically at him. "What for?"

"For not coming sooner. I thought her men would outmatch us… but it appears she knew about our plan to attack. This place was abandoned when we arrived."

"Well at least we know she's scared of you."

"Hmph. I wonder if that truly is the case." Arthur turned, and Merlin saw another knight standing in the doorway.

"Gwaine," he said, beaming.

"Come on, Merlin. Let's get you out of here."

Merlin felt as though a great weight had been lifted from his shoulders. Just the prospect of being back in Camelot with his friends again had caused a few tears to well up. "I… I…"  
Just then, a loud squawk interrupted him. All three heads turned to the slit in the wall, where the shadow of a bird could be seen hopping around in a frenzy.

"It's just a raven," said Gwaine quickly. The sound had spooked all of them, but it was Merlin who felt the most unnerved.

From now on, Morgana would be keeping a very close eye on him.

He followed Arthur and Gwaine out into the hallway. The other prisoners had been freed as well, and Merlin saw the knights who had been captured lining up to greet their king. One stepped forward. "We are grateful for this, Arthur. We all thought we were dead men walking."

"I apologize for waiting. I should have come here straightaway. Had I known that Morgana would flee, you would not have been kept here for so long." He turned his gaze to the knights. "We will make for Camelot. Let's get these men home!"

A cheer rose among them, and the crowd that burst through Ismere's gates was alive with the thrill of freedom.

…

Into the night, they stopped and a campfire was made. The knights had taken turns walking beside and riding the horses, but everyone was exhausted and looking forward to their return home.

Merlin sat beside the fire and took off his boots. His feet were blistered from wearing them for so long, but he didn't care.

He closed his eyes and leaned back, beginning to nod off, when he felt huge footsteps approaching him.

"Percival?" he asked without opening his eyes.

"Good to see you again," came the booming reply.

Merlin chuckled. "It's been a while, friend."

"I've got something for you." Something landed next to him. "Gwaine told me to bring it along, in case you needed it."

He sat up to inspect the object. "My bag! Thank you."

"Personally, I thought you were dead already. But I'm glad you're not. Otherwise, I would have lugged it all the way here for nothing." The huge man's grin belied his words.

Merlin creased his brow suddenly, unable to remember if his spellbook had been inside the bag. "You didn't happen to look inside, did you?"

To his relief, Percival laughed. "Who, me? I wouldn't do that. Unless of course, you have something to hide?"

"Of course not!"

Percival laughed again. "You let yourself get riled up to easy. I was only teasing. Anyway, I'm glad you're okay."

"Me too."

The big man walked away. Merlin had been slapped on the back so many times and given so much attention that he felt like it was his birthday. He'd also been presented with a few small gifts (On top of which, Arthur had given him a chestplate to polish with the promise of more waiting for him at Camelot), but his bag was the real finish to the near-perfect day. Quickly, he opened it and felt for the false bottom he'd sewn in. Sure enough, his spellbook was still hidden there.

He could remember that he'd begun taking the book along with him because of the increase of magical attacks. He'd already learned every spell by heart, but simply having the book gave him a sense of comfort. It did have a glamour placed upon it which concealed its true cover from prying eyes, and instead identified it as an herb-gathering guide, but he could sense that it had worn off.

On the day he'd been captured by Morgana, he'd brought it along. It had been a normal border patrol exercise, with Arthur showing some new recruits around. Nothing went wrong until about midday, when a crossbow bolt shot from nowhere began a surprise attack. Merlin had retreated to let the knights fight off the intruders, and to assist magically from afar. What he hadn't expected were the attackers waiting for him.

Now that he knew Morgana had planned the attack after she'd found out his magic, he couldn't help but fume in anger and disappointment. If he'd been more attentive on that day, maybe none of this would have happened.

_No,_ he told himself. Morgana would still have fought to grant Merlin a place at her side, and if he hadn't done it willingly then she would have put him under the same enchantment as Gwen.

Gwaine sat next to him at the fire, but Merlin didn't notice the knight until he spoke up.

"You look so gloomy, Merlin. What's wrong? Miss your cell already?"

He sighed. "I just… have a lot to think about."

"Well, I came to tell you that there's a river nearby. You could do with a bath."

"Thanks." A bath didn't sound too bad. He'd been trying to put it out of his mind, but the way he smelled finally came back and hit him.

"I think we'll be the thankful ones, after you've gotten rid of that stench."

"If you had come sooner, I wouldn't smell so bad."

"Fine, you're right. Go take a bath anyway."

Merlin stood with a grin and left, weaving through the trees and listening for running water. He came across it sooner than he expected.

The river was fast moving and chilly, but still a welcome relief. He rolled up his clothes and left them on an embankment, watching the water around him swirl up with dirt.

He gingerly felt his eye, which was still raw, and saw from a blurry reflection that it had turned purple quickly. He could probably find herbs to stop the swelling, but he decided he'd let Gaius take care of it. Instead he watched the stars… and his tranquility became alarm at the sight of a small dragon circling overhead.

Dread settled in his stomach as he heard Gwaine's voice call from the bank. "You there, Merlin? Wanted to make sure you didn't get lost… as you have a propensity for that."

"Uh… yeah, I'm fine. You can head back to camp now…"

"You really are a girl, Merlin. What, too shy to-" he reached the bank and stumbled backward. "Behind you! It's the dragon!" He turned and bolted for the camp, yelling the entire way.

Aithusa hovered above the water, holding something in her mouth.

"Get out of here. Go!" shouted Merlin. He heard at least a dozen feet trampling the ground as the knights approached the river.

The dragon snorted, as though upset with Merlin for telling it to leave. It eyed him adamantly, then tossed something from its mouth and took flight above the treetops.

He caught it, having only enough time for a glance. He threw it into the bushes as a group of men reached the riverbank.

Arthur lowered his sword and said, annoyed, "It's only Merlin."

Gwaine hurried next to him, breathless. "The dragon was here… he saw it!"

Arthur gave Merlin a look. "Is this true?"

"I didn't see anything," he said quickly. He felt horribly exposed with everyone's eyes on him. "Do you mind?"

"This is no time for pranks, Gwaine." Arthur sheathed his sword. "Head back to camp."

"No, I saw it, I really did-"

"I think he's been through enough," said Arthur sternly.

Gwaine caught his glare. "Fine," he said, solemn.

The knights left- and not too quickly, in Merlin's opinion. Only Gwaine stayed.

"You saw it. I know you did." He sat down.

"Please, leave me alone."

"Why did you lie to him?"

"I didn't see anything!" he insisted.

"Well I'm not leaving until you tell the truth."

Merlin realized he might be stuck for a while.

After their staring contest dragged on for several minutes, Gwaine noticed Merlin's teeth beginning to chatter. "Fine, then. I'll believe you." He stood, but a look in his eyes told Merlin that this wasn't over.

As soon as he was gone, Merlin sprinted for the shore and dressed hurriedly. No one was going to let him live this down for a long time… and the ravens had certainly seen the entire thing.

A disturbing thought came to mind. _If she can communicate telepathically with the birds, then would she-_

No. It was too disconcerting to even think about.

Ears burning, he fished through the undergrowth and picked up what he'd thrown in the dirt. It was a book, but now that he'd had a closer look at the cover his heart sped up.

Had Morgana sent this?

No, she'd have sent a raven with a note beforehand… and there was no way she knew about his dragonlord abilities.

It was slim enough to stuff inside his jacket, which he did now. He had to hide it in his bag and find a place to study it at Camelot: without Arthur or Morgana finding out.

**I guess this was a more lighthearted chapter, and we're not back in Camelot yet, but we will be next time! And the villain might not show up for a while, I was asking ahead of time. Thanks so much for your reviews on the idea, they were extremely helpful and constructive! This is gonna be awesome thanks to you guys!**


	12. Misdirection

**I still have a few days before I leave, so I'm going to try and squeeze some extra chapters in. It might not happen though, so if not I'll just stick to posting a bunch when I get back. On with the story!**

Gwen ran to Arthur as the knights galloped through the square. Merlin couldn't help but stare as she leaped into his arms. He quickly looked away, but he could still hear Gwen giggling as he unloaded the horses.

Arthur broke away from his embrace to address the knights. "Tonight, we'll have a feast to celebrate our successful mission! And those who endured in the face of evil shall be rewarded for their bravery."

The men erupted into a loud cheer, but Merlin wanted to get away before he could be ordered into doing something.

"Where are you going, Merlin?"

"To see Gaius," he answered truthfully.

Arthur nodded. "Make sure you come to the ceremony."

"Ceremony?"

"Well, of course. You deserve a reward as well."

He sucked in a breath. "For what?"

"Come now, Merlin! Did we not just rescue you from certain doom at Morgana's hands? It's a miracle you survived at all, and that in itself is worth commending."

"I'm flattered."

"That's more like it. Go see if Gaius can do anything about that eye."

Merlin grinned. "I was just about to."

Arthur watched his friend disappear through a doorway, then turned his attention back to the knights. "Anyone else who needs to visit Gaius should do so now. I'd hate for one of you to die on me after all we went through to save you."

A few of them chuckled at that, but only one knight followed Merlin inside the castle and headed for the court physician's chambers.

…

The door opened, and Gaius grouchily began, "Germanus, I've told you a thousand times that bloodroot is addictive and should not be used for-" but then he looked up. "Merlin," he said, his face blank for a few moments before tears began to fall.

"I'm back, Gaius."

"I thought you were dead. Sit, sit! What happened to your eye? I'll get you something for it. Honey…"

"Cloves," suggested Merlin.

"You haven't forgotten a thing." Gaius gathered everything and began applying it to Merlin's eye. "Are you all right?"

"I'm fine. Morgana had me locked up in a cell for a month and interrogated me every single day, that's all." He said it as blandly as he could. Hopefully, Gaius would realize something was wrong.

His face twisted in shock. "Merlin… Did she find anything out about you?"

He had to tread carefully. He'd thought about how he might inform Gaius of his plight. Passing him a note might be too suspicious, and he hadn't found enough privacy to write one in the first place.

He realized his only choice. "No."

"You were very brave, Merlin." He stood and put the herbs back inside the cupboard. "Now… we need to find out what to do about Gwen."

Merlin coughed. "What do you mean?"

"She's the reason the patrol you were with was attacked. She knew where they were going to be headed, which made it all too easy for her to tell Morgana."

Oh no. This was not heading in a good direction. Merlin had to get him off the subject of Gwen before he said anything else.

His back was turned when Merlin spoke up. "Gaius, have you ever heard of a sorcerer called Emrys?"

The old man spun around, confused. "Have I?"

"Well, Morgana mentioned him, and said he was part of a prophecy. Since you know a lot about the Old Religion, I was wondering if you might have heard the name somewhere." He ever so slightly jerked his head to the window, and with a furrowed brow, Gaius glanced outside. Realization dawned on his face at the sight of a large black bird.

He turned back to Merlin, who was now imperceptibly shaking his head.

"I've never heard the name before." His voice was low, and Merlin knew that he was beyond angry with Morgana for putting Merlin in this situation. "What did Morgana say about him?"

"That he's an extremely powerful wizard, and that he stands in her way. She wants to kill him." He stared meaningfully. "It would be a shame if Morgana were to find Emrys… it might even cause Camelot to fall."

"I see… Then let us pray it never happens." Gaius stared helplessly at his ward, unable to say anything more until he had finished treating the wound. "There. Make sure you leave this poultice on it for three hours. Then, it will take a little time to heal, but you'll be getting plenty of attention until then."

"I don't mind." He grinned as though nothing was wrong.

In his heart, Gaius could feel a pang of sorrow. "Make sure you be careful."

"Don't worry about me. I'm back in Camelot. Morgana can't do anything to me here!"

Both of them knew how false that statement was.

"Why don't you lie down. Arthur hasn't given you any work, has he?"

"He told me to polish his armor, but I think it can-"

Just then, the door flew open, and an enraged knight came in. "Merlin… I have a few words for you."

"Hello Gwaine," said Merlin pleasantly.

"I hope you don't think you've gotten out of this dragon business."

Now it was Gaius's turn to be alarmed. "Dragon?"

"It was nothing. Just… Gwaine decided to play a prank on me, and Arthur got mad at him for it."

"It was no prank. There was a dragon, there really was! I saw it with my own eyes, and so did he."

"Gwaine, if you don't calm down I'm going to have you thrown you out of here."

The knight quieted, although he was clearly furious. "There was a dragon right behind him, but when I brought Arthur there it was gone. There's no way Merlin missed it!"

"So you didn't actually see if Merlin saw it or not."

He faltered. "Well, he would have if he'd turned around-"

"But you ran off before you could see if he did."

Gwaine stared. "I… well…"

Gaius leaned in. "Gwaine, I saw you in the kitchen, stealing bottles of brandy before you left."

His cheeks went red. "I wasn't drunk!"

"Something tells me you were, Gwaine."

To Merlin's astonishment, the knight backed down. "I only had a few sips, I didn't think it was…" he sighed. "Merlin, just, forget everything. I- sorry about this."

"S'fine," said Merlin quickly. "So… see you at the feast tonight?"

"Yeah. I just- yeah, just, don't bring this up again, all right? Especially not to Arthur. I don't think he'd be happy if he found out that I wasn't totally sober back then…"

"I won't."

"Okay. See you at the feast." He left in a hurry.

"You never cease to amaze me," said Merlin with a grin.

"That man is always drunk. I've heard stories of strange hallucinations, but that's the first dragon anyone's mentioned." Merlin didn't need to see his face to know the weight those words carried. He'd have to find a way to fill Gaius in on what had happened.

"Yeah. Well… a nap sounds like a good idea to me. I should get some rest before Arthur starts forcing me to work again."

"So you've been invited to a feast I hear? It sounds like you're going to enjoy yourself. You deserve it."

Merlin retreated into his room and fell asleep as soon as his head hit the pillow. It wasn't long before he was being gently shaken awake.

"Get up, Merlin. You don't want to be late."

He yawned, and moved slowly to his feet. The light from his window had dimmed.

"Do you have anything nice to wear?" asked Gaius.

Merlin glanced down at his normal outfit, which hadn't been washed for a while. "I suppose I'll have to change out of this."

"You certainly will. In fact, I went ahead and got you something." He held up a deep blue tunic, embroidered with gold accents at the collar.

"Gaius… it's great!"

"And here's a new belt as well."

"You didn't have to do this."

"But I did. Those clothes you're wearing now won't survive another wash." He handed the clothes to Merlin. "Don't be late. I'm going to the great hall."

"See you there," he said, staring at the tunic in awe. It was finely woven, and it must have cost Gaius a substantial bit of money for the embroidery. He tried it on, and it fit perfectly.

He hurried out of his room. It was almost time for the feast to begin.

…

**A little short, but I'm going to try to update again today! I'll do a double update tomorrow too… which means I should get busy!**


	13. Introspection

Merlin arrived to see that many people had come to celebrate. Firelight from dozens of candelabras gave the room a golden glow, and kept the nighttime at bay. Tables were lined against the walls, and a long table in the center had been draped in a deep red cloth. But everywhere he looked, Merlin could see and smell food.

Fruits were piled high in silver bowls. Breads and cheeses were laid out on trays, and a whole turkey sat as a centerpiece. Even in these dark times, Camelot was prosperous, and the festivity in the atmosphere was contagious.

People had come dressed in their most formal, but Merlin could tell that most weren't nobles. This was an event for the people of Camelot, and it seemed like most of them had been invited.

"Merlin! You're here!"

He turned to the sound of Arthur's voice. He had ditched his ceremonial tunic and donned something a little more casual, but was still dressed nicer than most gathered here could afford.

"It's some party," said Merlin. "For once, I'm a guest, not a servant."

"And speaking of which." He shouted at someone. "George! Come get Merlin here a drink."

He smiled. This would be a celebration to remember… if he didn't let the alcohol get to him.

"There'll be a ceremony tomorrow, for you and everyone else who was imprisoned. Come and sit down. We've saved you a spot."

Arthur's chair was at the head of the table, with commoners sitting furthest away. Merlin was surprised when he was offered a seat among the knights, who sat closest to Arthur. As he sat, though, he saw Gwen watching him. She was on the king's right hand side, and was close enough to talk to Merlin. She gave him a smile, but he could see malice behind it. Immediately he was on his guard.

"I can't tell you how grateful I am to see you alive," she announced. "Without you here, Arthur could barely dress himself."

A few knights sniggered. "It's not like you to make jokes, milady." Sir Leon smiled as he said it.

"Guinevere was sick with worry for you. She's one of the reasons we decided a rescue attempt," said Percival. He was just across from Merlin.

"That, and Ivor." Arthur sat down. "Without him, we would never have gotten the information we needed. Where is that man?"

Gwen glanced at Merlin, as though making sure he wouldn't try anything. Not that there was any chance of that happening. Ivor had to be miles away from Camelot by now.

"I haven't seen him."

"Maybe he's gone to check on his horse. It's the only thing I can think of."

Arthur saw Merlin's blank look and elaborated. "Ivor was one of Morgana's guards. But he risked his life to help us."

Merlin tried to act impressed. "I never would have thought she'd be betrayed so easily. So he's the real reason you decided to come get me?"

"Exactly. The only way we could save everyone was if we remained secret, and we could only do that with a good idea of where to find the dungeons."

"But it appears as though she knew you were coming anyway."

Arthur nodded. Gwen raised her eyebrows. To anyone else, it would look like shock. But Merlin knew it was a subtle threat being directed at him.

"She decided to run away instead of fight. Maybe she's not as powerful as she wants us to think." Arthur reached for his goblet. "Whatever the reason, it can wait. For now, our friends have been safely returned to us. To Camelot!"

"To Camelot!"

A resounding cheer filled the room. The next few hours passed in laughter and drinking. By the time Merlin was ready to leave, his head was swimming pleasantly. He'd wanted to avoid dulling his mind, but to refuse a toast would have been difficult to explain.

So when he met Gwen in the hallway he struggled to remain attentive.

"Come to the Darkling woods tonight, when everyone is asleep. Make sure you are not followed." She grimaced. "I know that you've got her fooled somehow. But I won't be so easy to deceive." She hastened away, not wanting be caught speaking with him. Merlin felt a sinking horror. There had to be a sobering spell somewhere…

But he couldn't recall any, and his spellbook might be too blurry to read right now. He just had to hope he wouldn't say anything stupid.

…

It had been a battle to stay awake, but Merlin had managed to endure his alcohol-induced stupor. He snuck past a sleeping Gaius before making his way outside.

He met Gwen on the way outside the castle walls. They did not speak to each other until they'd reached the safety of the woods.

"So, do you know why Morgana wants to see me?" he queried.

"I don't know. But it must concern both of us." They reached a clearing. "This is where you are to meet her, if she sends for you."

Morgana stepped forward. "You both made it. Good. Has Arthur noticed Ivor's absence?"

"He has, milady." Gwen had answered her. "But he has not yet raised the alarm."

"He may tomorrow, but by then it will be too late. Ivor will be long gone by then. Merlin, however, is here for a different reason."

He felt a chill run down his back. "Yes?"

"How long has Gaius known about Gwen's allegiance to me?"

He exhaled, and said, nervously, "He figured it out just before I went missing."

"He gets more and more troublesome by the minute. We'll have to find a way to keep him silent."

Fearing the worst, Merlin stuttered, "But he hasn't told Arthur yet, and I suspect it is because of me."

"Why do you think that?"

"He most likely didn't want to put me in danger. If he were to tell Arthur about Gwen, you might have had me killed. Of course, he is unaware of our alliance."

"Of course." She frowned. "But now that you are back, what is to stop him?"

"Me again. He trusts me, and if I can convince him not to reveal her secret to Arthur…"

"How will you manage to do that?"

Gwen was looking uncomfortable. She felt as though she had nothing to offer, and the mere fact that Morgana was still talking to Merlin had sent her on edge. "What if we just had him killed?" she put forward.

They shared a held gaze. Morgana knew that Merlin would do anything she asked… except that. Also, she'd already promised the old man's safety.

Merlin eyes pleaded.

"We cannot do that. His death would be too suspicious." She relented, and Merlin sighed in relief.

"I will convince him," he repeated. "After all, it doesn't make sense for him to come forward now. Not when everyone believes Gwen is the heart of Camelot. He'd never be able to incriminate her without proof, and one wrong accusation might land him in a cell."

Morgana nodded. "It's a good thing we have you here, Merlin. Otherwise we'd be in trouble."

"I will do my best to keep Gaius quiet."

"Yes. But there is another thing I must ask of you, Merlin." Her gaze turned to steel. "Gaius knows more about Emrys than he is letting on."

Merlin's heart plunged into his stomach. The alcohol was not helping, and he felt extremely nauseous. But he kept a straight face. "How can you tell?"

"Because he is craftier than he looks. After all, he hid my own powers from me for a reason. It's possible he knows about the prophecy… and if so, he may know the whereabouts of Emrys."

He swallowed. "What do you want me to do?"

"Interrogate him, but don't be too obvious. He can't know what you're really after."

"I understand. After all, he is familiar with the Old Religion. He even practiced sorcery at one point…"

"I remember. It was the Witch Finder who used that against him." She frowned again. "Although now that I remember, he tried to accuse you as well, didn't he?"

"Yes. But it was Gaius who took the blame. He saved my life back then. That's why…"

She nodded. "I promise you, no harm will come to him."

"But you said he would suffer for what he's done."

"I would rather give up a grudge than see you in pain."

Tears came to his eyes before he could help it. "Thank you."

Gwen's vision swam. "Are you sure you should make such a promise, milady? Gaius might become a nuisance in the future..."

"I have heard enough from you, Gwen." Even Merlin was surprised by the enmity in her voice. "You two should leave. Come find me as soon as you've finished with Gaius, Merlin."

"I will."

The three split up into the forest. Gwen lagged behind Merlin, bewildered with it all. She had no idea why Morgana was actually taking advice from _Merlin. _There was definitely more to him, but she had to figure out just what it was.

**Wow, I actually managed to do a double update! Well, I'll try to do the same thing tomorrow. It looks like Gaius is in a bit of trouble here, let's see how this "interrogation" goes. Thanks, and review! **


	14. Interrogation

**Today will be the last time I update for a little while. *EDIT* Can't do two updates today, sorry. But I will still have a bunch when I get back, so enjoy!**

Merlin woke up with a fierce headache. He climbed out of bed and massaged his temples, wondering if he was supposed to wake Arthur up or if he'd been given a day off. Unsure, he dressed quickly and made his way to the kitchens.

As soon as he set foot in the room, though, all work stopped. He looked up to see several servants and the cook staring at him like he was a ghost.

"Good morning," he called. They didn't move as he grabbed a plate, loaded it with some meat, bread, and an apple, and exited promptly. He then strolled towards Arthur's chambers, taking note of all the shocked glances he received.

Not many had been optimistic about his survival, it seemed. No one dared approach him, and he made his way through the castle uninterrupted.

When he finally opened the door to Arthur's bedroom, George was already there.

"Merlin?" asked the king. "What are you doing here?"

"I… breakfast," he explained, motioning to the plate.

"Shouldn't you be resting? I didn't think Gaius would have let you leave without good reason."

"I'm not injured," he said, an indignant edge to his voice. "I'm back now, and I should really be getting back to work."

"No, Merlin." Arthur stood. "Your eye is so ugly, I don't think I could stand it. Come back to work when it's healed. Also, you need to get ready for the ceremony."

He scowled. "I still don't know what that's even about."

"I told you already. You and the knights will be receiving high honors for holding out on Morgana's evil influence. Any one of you could have ended your own suffering by swearing your loyalty to her, but none of you did."

Merlin felt his stomach twist. "Fine, then. But if I go to your little ceremony, can I have my job back?"

"Yes, you can. Though I would have thought you'd be jumping at the chance to shirk your duties." He sighed. "Well, I'd hate for you to waste that food. Why don't you sit down?"

"Really?"

"Sure. I want to hear your side of what happened at Ismere, and this way, I'll be able to escort you to the ceremony myself."

Oh. There was definitely no getting out of this. "Right." He sat and set the plate down in front of him. "Where's Gwen?"

"She went riding this morning. She'll be back before lunchtime."

Well, at least he wouldn't be receiving death glares- for a short while, at least. "So what do you want to know about Ismere?"

"Well, for starters, what exactly did she do to give you a shiner like that?"

Merlin prodded his eye unconsciously. "She was getting tired of me avoiding her questions."

"And what kind of questions did she ask?"

He shrugged. "Mostly things like, 'why do you serve Arthur' and 'why don't you join me'."

"She wasn't after Camelot's secrets? She didn't ask about patrols, or even our defenses?"

"Not exactly."

He sighed. "The other knights reported similar things. It seems as though she was only after their allegiance, not information. This points to a traitor."

Merlin frowned. "Do you really think so?"

"The reason why she's not interested in gathering information is because she already has someone to give it to her." He knit his brow in thought. "We'll have to set a trap for them, and figure out how they've been getting information to Morgana."

"Do you have any ideas as to who it might be?"

Arthur shook his head. "Not yet. But we'll be keeping an eye out."

They ate in silence, and when Merlin finished his meal both of them stood.

"Come on. It's almost time for the ceremony."

…

It wasn't long before Merlin found himself back in the great hall, lined up with several people in a row. He recognized many of them from the feast, and even before that from Ismere's dungeons. The knights had shown up decked in their brilliant red cloaks.

"You are all here because of your suffering at Morgana's hands. Your courage in times of danger and evil has not gone unnoticed. For your continued devotion to the kingdom of Camelot, each of you shall be rewarded." He waved for a group of servants holding several bags to come forward. They began passing the satchels around. When Merlin got his, he could hear coins clinking on the inside.

"Many of you were imprisoned for a prolonged period of time, and for that I must apologize. In those bags are fifty gold pieces, each stamped with the seal of Camelot to commemorate your bravery. Please accept these gifts as recompense on my behalf."

Some went wide-eyed as they examined the contents of their bags. More servants came, this time holding wreaths. Merlin bowed as one was fitted onto his head. He could see others doing the same, and slowly they began to file out of the room.

He walked up to Arthur and said, "You really didn't have to do this. I don't even know what to do with all this gold!"

"Well then, you can go shopping. Gwen was going to head to the lower town, but she wants to talk to you. Why don't you walk with her?"

Merlin couldn't believe it. "Gaius won't let me do chores, and now you're just giving me money from nowhere. Everyone's gone soft," he muttered. Before Arthur could give him a glare, he went to find Guinevere.

The halls were full of people, holding their bags open to ogle at the glistening coins inside or tightly to their chests, afraid to let go. Merlin didn't notice Mordred standing there until the knight spoke up.

"You've managed to fool Morgana once again."

Merlin spun. "Mordred."

"You continue to amaze me. Standing up to her… it couldn't have been easy."

"It wasn't." he said it anxiously. Mordred frowned at the tone of his voice.

"I see. It must have been stressful for you especially. And also extremely dangerous. Why didn't you just leave?"

Merlin glanced around. There was no one close enough to hear them if they spoke softly, but they were right next to a window. Morgana was listening without a doubt. "Her spells were extremely powerful, and I could not escape. But that no longer matters. I'm here now, and soon it will be nothing but a bad memory." He spoke quickly to Mordred, but did so without opening his mouth. "_If you have an ounce of loyalty to Arthur and Camelot, you will not give any mention of my true identity."_

Mordred's eyes widened as he continued. "_I am being watched by Morgana. She thinks I have joined her, but I could not refuse without bringing harm upon myself. You must not speak of Emrys. Is that clear?"_

Mordred nodded, speechless for a moment. "Everyone's glad you're back," he said uncertainly. "_I understand." _"I wish I could have been part of the rescue mission, but Arthur felt that there needed to be some defense left here. He only took a small group with him."

"You didn't miss much." _"Gwen has also sided with Morgana. You must speak to Gaius about it, but make sure no one-"_

"Gwen?" he spluttered aloud. "I mean, Gwen wants… wants to see you, Merlin."

Merlin sucked in a breath. _"Make sure she isn't listening in on you. Watch out for the ravens." _"I know. I'm going to her now."

"Better not keep her waiting." Mordred's cheeks were turning red with embarrassment at his mistake. "Bye."

The knight walked off, but Merlin turned around to watch him. Sure enough, he was headed for Gaius's chambers.

Gwen was waiting for Merlin in the courtyard. "So Arthur didn't forget to send you," she said warmly. "Let's have a chat, shall we?"

**It's pretty short, but a lot happened! What's Morgana going to make of their strange conversation, and what does Gwen want? Also, when's Merlin going to have a crack at that dragon manual? I'll be back soon, hope you liked this chapter, remember to review! **


	15. Declination

**I'm back! YAY! I'm going to have multiple chapters up today, and don't forget to review!**

Gwen smiled warmly as she went down the steps. "It's a lovely day. I was hoping we could get some fresh air."

"It is. Ismere was so cold… I didn't think I'd ever see the sun again."

"Yes, well you're here now and you've got money to spend. It's been so long since we talked, and I want to hear everything." There were too many people nearby for Gwen to show how much she hated Merlin, but he could hear an edge to her voice nonetheless.

"How about the market?" he suggested. The noise from the hustle and bustle might mask their conversation.

She nodded. "That's exactly what I was thinking."

The two of them arrived at the lower town. Trade was booming, and everywhere were brilliantly dyed fabrics and clothes. He could smell spices from far-off lands and hear people calling out their wares. The sunlight from gleaming swords and ornate daggers caught his eye.

"Merlin, this looks nice," Gwen held up a dark cloak for him to examine.

"I don't really wear those."

"I see. More of a 'tunic and trousers' sort of person."

"Exactly."

"Why don't you try it on anyway?" She went behind him and threw it over his shoulders. As she did, she pressed something into his hand: a rolled up piece of parchment.

"It's heavy," he said, surprised by the sudden weight on his shoulders, and by the secret message he'd just received.

"It's entirely made of wool. Good for cold nights. Perhaps you'll be needing it soon."

He knew she was talking about meeting Morgana. "Will I need it for tonight?"

"Yes. It would be a good idea to keep it with you."

So Morgana wanted to know about Emrys. "I still haven't talked with Gaius."

"Then I suggest you hurry. You shouldn't keep a lady waiting." She smiled again, and Merlin paid for the cloak. They continued to walk around the town, browsing among the myriad of Camelot's wealthy traders and their supplies. Finally, Gwen turned to him and said, "I must return to the castle and make sure everything is going well. Arthur is to leave for a hunting trip in a few days."

"That soon?"

"We must prepare. Don't forget to talk with Gaius." She hurried off, and not a single person suspected what might really be going on behind her pleasant façade.

Merlin hurried back to the physician's chambers, hoping he'd given Gaius enough time to explain the situation to Mordred.

…

The young knight burst through the door. "Gaius, there's something wrong with Merlin!"

Gaius glanced up from the medicines he'd been organizing. "He told you?"

"We have to help him. We need to get back at Morgana somehow."

Gaius stared with incredulity. "Mordred, are you sure you know what you're talking about?"

"I understand perfectly. Merlin's trapped under Morgana's influence. We have to do something!"

"Calm yourself, Mordred. We must wait before we do anything brash."

Mordred blinked. "What do you mean? He needs our help now-"

"He has this under control, I'm sure of it. There's a reason he has let this happen."

"What reason could there possibly be?"

"He can get information from Morgana this way."

"At what cost?"

"Mordred, if you step in, things could get out of hand."

"I can't believe this. For the first time, Merlin trusts me with his life, and you don't want to consider helping him?"

Gaius took a while to respond. "It's not like that. There are people's lives at risk other than his own."

Horror dawned on Mordred. "Gwen," he said. "She's working for Morgana too-"

"I am aware."

"And you still won't do anything?"

"Enough!" he said firmly. "We still don't know exactly what's going on. If we barge in, we'll be putting both of their lives in danger. Merlin knows what he is doing!"

Mordred scowled. "So that's it, then. You don't trust me either, do you?"

"Mordred, that's not why-"

"Yes it is," he thundered. "There's a reason Merlin hasn't come to me for help before. I still can't fathom why that is, but I trust his judgment either way. He would only tell me this if he were desperate."

Gaius's face softened. "Mordred…"

"It's true. You both think I'm evil. But I have tried all I can to prove the opposite. Please, let me help."

Gaius gave a sigh. "Very well. Merlin is indeed working for Morgana. She believes she has won his allegiance. She watches him using the ravens, and I think they may be meeting at night."

"How do you know?"

"He's been sneaking out, and those birds follow him everywhere."

He snuck a glance out the window, and was relieved to see only sunlight and open sky.

Gaius nodded. "We will have to be careful about when and where we speak," he said.

"This… this is madness! What are we going to do?"

"For now? We will wait and see. Though I'm curious as to how Merlin informed you about what's going on."

"He and I share a link. We can communicate mentally…"

"What exactly did he tell you?"

"He said he was forced to do this, and that I should talk to you about it." His eyes lit up. "That's right! He told me not to talk about… who he really is."

Gaius nodded. "I had my suspicions, but now I know for certain. Morgana is once again looking for Emrys. Perhaps she thinks Merlin is the key to finding him."

"This doesn't make any sense, Gaius. I still don't see why Merlin is doing this. Why does Morgana think he's so important if she doesn't know who he really is?"

Gaius gave him a worried look. "I'm not sure, but Morgana may know about a certain prophecy. One that spells Arthur's doom at the hands of a warlock."

Mordred furrowed his brow. "But that would mean she's found out about his magic."

"Precisely."

He felt his heart sink as he realized what that meant. "You said there's a prophecy about a warlock that will kill Arthur?"

Gaius paused. "What do you want to know about it?"

"There may be a chance, then. If we can find this warlock and stop him before he joins Morgana… we can save him! Merlin and Gwen won't need to pretend anymore, and we'll finally be able to fight Morgana on our own terms."

"I'm afraid it is not so simple," Gaius responded with a heavy heart. "Merlin is doing this of his own will, but Gwen is under a dark spell that may be too powerful to break."

"Then that leaves the warlock. What does the prophecy say about him?"

Gaius inhaled. "It doesn't say anything about him," he lied.

Mordred's face fell. "There must be _something._"

"There isn't anything we can do, Mordred. I've tried to tell you, but we cannot make any moves yet. We have to find out exactly how much Morgana knows, or we'll be putting Merlin's life at stake no matter what we do."

"If we can't find this warlock, and we can't help Merlin… we must tell Arthur!"

"That would be extremely unwise. Arthur must not find out that Merlin has magic. If he knew about this, he might—"

There was a knock at the door, and a flurry of movement at the window. Merlin had arrived.

"_Mordred!" _The voice came in his mind. _"You need to leave. When I open the door, you must have an excuse for being here, or you will look suspicious." _Merlin walked inside. "Mordred, what are you doing here?"

"I- I was just… there's an ache, uh, in my shoulder. Gaius was just taking care of it for me."

"Yes. Here you are, take this tonic later on and it will feel much better. It's a good thing you came to see me. Well, off you go!"

Mordred gave a helpless shrug as he left. The door closed behind him.

"Still not doing any work, I see?"

"Arthur gave me a few days off. Believe me, I actually want to get back to work. I haven't got anything to do around here except chat with you."

"It looks like we're in the same situation. Why don't I make us some tea?"

Merlin sat as Gaius began to prepare. He looked around the room, reflecting on how nothing had changed in all the time he'd been gone. Herbs were still drying, a fire still crackled in the hearth, and not a single dusty tome had been disturbed. But something in the atmosphere was off.

It was Morgana. She had ruined his return home, turned a celebration into a nightmare. Gaius's worry was evident in the way he shakily poured the tea into Merlin's cup, but everything else about him was calm.

"I know you probably don't want to relive the experience," he began, "but I'd like to know a little more about Ismere."

Merlin stared at the table. It was time for the 'interrogation' to begin.


	16. Resonation

**I feel terrible… I got bogged down with stuff yesterday and I didn't have another chapter for you. Same thing happened today! That's what happens when Real Life is stalking you. I'm going to have to stick with just uploading one chapter per day. But ****this chapter should be exciting... finally preparing to move the story towards part two! Hope you enjoy, and sorry about the sporadic updates.**

Morgana stared out her window anxiously until the bird arrived. She'd considered scrying, and had even tried using her sister's crystal, but soon discovered she had no talent for it. Using ravens to communicate was her only other option, and it still consumed a lot of energy, but it was enough. She'd spy directly on Gaius if she could, but the spell required for her to actually cast a charm on the recipient, which she couldn't very well do from so far away. Merlin would have to do.

As soon as the bird alighted on her window, she spoke. "_Ostende mihi videris."_

Her vision spun and suddenly, a scene was unfolding before her eyes.

_"You've managed to fool Morgana once again."_ She could see Merlin's back was turned. He was speaking with a knight who made Morgana's blood seethe.

_"Mordred."_

_"You continue to amaze me. Standing up to her… it couldn't have been easy."_

_"It wasn't." _

_"I see. It must have been stressful for you especially. And also extremely dangerous. Why didn't you just leave?"_

Her eyebrows rose at that. The next words from Merlin confirmed it; _"Her spells were extremely powerful, and I could not escape."_ SoMordred did know about Merlin's powers. How long had he kept this from her? Even when they'd last met, the knight had been conspiring against her. She continued to watch the seen in anger.

"_But that no longer matters. I'm here now, and soon it will be nothing but a bad memory." _

There was a pause.

_"Everyone's glad you're back. I wish I could have been part of the rescue mission, but Arthur felt that there needed to be some defense left here. He only took a small group with him."_

_"You didn't miss much."_

_"Gwen… I mean, Gwen wants… wants to see you, Merlin."_ He muttered the statement, and Morgana almost couldn't understand him.

_"I know. I'm going to her now."_

_"Better not keep her waiting. Bye."_

She grinned. Merlin was doing a fine job of keeping his secret. So far, no one even suspected him. Gwen had passed along the message, which Merlin would be reading by now. Everything was running smoothly… now to see what Gaius had divulged about Emrys.

_"I know you probably don't want to relive the experience, but I'd like to know a little more about Ismere." _The scene before her now was of the physician's chambers. She was looking in from the outside, and could see both Gaius and Merlin sitting at a table.

…

"What do you mean?" asked Merlin.

"Well, what did she want from you?" Gaius had no idea how to continue. He could only stare and hope Merlin knew what he was doing.

"I've already told Arthur. She wanted as many people to side with her as possible." Now Merlin had to get Gaius to start answering questions. "She did ask about someone called Emrys, though…"

The physician straightened in his seat. He didn't dare check the window for a raven. "I see you still want to know about him." He sighed. "I've been around for a long time, Merlin, and I've heard many things about him."

"So he's real?"

"If the prophecy is to be believed, then yes."

"Prophecy?" His eyes twinkled with curiosity. If Gaius didn't know better, he'd think Merlin was genuinely surprised by all of this information.

"Yes, there is a prophecy. He is said to be the greatest sorcerer to ever walk the earth. The prophecy names him the son of the sky and seas. One day, he will restore the balance of magic in the kingdom of Albion."

Merlin shuddered. To hear his own destiny spoken to him never failed to send his heart hammering. "Have you ever met him?"

"No, I have not had that privilege." Gaius answered almost immediately.

"But do you have any idea as to who he might be?" _Please, Gaius. I need an answer._

Gaius caught his look and began, cautiously, "There was a sorcerer who came to Camelot once. An old man, who called himself Dragoon the Great." He shook his head. "But he was responsible for the king's death."

"I remember the man you're talking about! He was the old man living in that cottage. I can't believe he's been under our noses this whole time…" He was almost jubilant. Now he could appease Morgana, and still not give anything about his identity away. He was already thinking of different ways to go about this when Gaius interrupted his thoughts.

"Merlin, what are you going to do?"

His mind ground to a halt. "What do you mean?"

"You aren't going to try to seek him out, are you?"

"Of course not." He furrowed his brow, his eyes screaming, _What are you doing?_

Gaius gazed sadly. "I can't let you do this."

Merlin knew he wasn't just acting anymore. "Don't worry about me." He stood. "I'm going to see if Arthur needs anything."

"Merlin, please listen. Don't put yourself in danger."

"I can't promise I won't."

"Then I can no longer help you." There were tears in the old man's eyes. "Don't ask me about him anymore. That's all I know."

Merlin nodded. "Thank you, Gaius." He left briskly. He'd be receiving no more help from Gaius; it was too painful for him to see Merlin in danger and not be able to do anything about it. But Merlin couldn't let his mentor's feelings jeopardize his mission.

He would have to get help from someone else.

Mordred seemed like the only option. He'd only told the knight about the situation to prevent him from accidentally revealing Emrys's identity, but could he possibly be of use?

No. Mordred could never be trusted with knowledge of the prophecy. Besides, Merlin needed someone who would be able to provide insight, someone who could help him outwit Morgana... and Mordred just wasn't that kind of person. Ever since he'd become a knight, it was clear he was more comfortable with fighting out in the open instead of with stealth. He'd left the world of secrets behind long ago.

That left just one other ally… but how could Merlin even talk to him without being seen?

…

Morgana sent the raven away with a wave of her hand, considering what she'd just seen. She already knew the old man's "Dragoon" alias. The conversation had taught her nothing new, but it had reminded her of something she'd forgotten.

Merlin and Arthur were the ones who had first sought out the old man. Merlin had never realized he'd already met Emrys, due to an oversight on her part. But it was possible Merlin still knew how to find him again.

"_I can't believe he's been under our noses this whole time…"_

That was his way of telling Morgana that he did, indeed, know where to find him.

She frowned as she remembered what Gaius had said, though. _"You aren't going to try to seek him out, are you?"_

Gaius hadn't actually proven whether he knew the whereabouts of Emrys or not, but how worried he seemed throughout the exchange didn't sit comfortably with her. Did he have an idea of what Merlin was planning to do?

There was no way he knew of Merlin's betrayal. He'd assured her of that already. The only thing to focus on now was the information Merlin would bring her within the hour. As the moon rose steadily, she made ready to leave for the Darkling Woods.

…

All was still throughout the castle. Merlin lay awake, waiting for midnight to come. He thought about Kilgharrah. Was it worth the risk? Perhaps he could reach him mentally…

He closed his mind and let his thoughts branch outward. _Open your mind. Let the dragon's aura become visible to you._

He became aware of tiny globes of light. Some appeared far away, while others were very close by. They varied in shape and bobbed up and down, like candles on a still lake.

_Are these… others with magic? _He wondered. It had to be; sometimes, he'd felt the magical presence of others, but never had he actually tried concentrating on the feeling. He wondered if this might be useful for espionage, but he dashed the thought quickly. If he could sense a sorcerer, they might be able to sense him as well. He just had to find the dragon and get out, quickly.

"_Kilgharrah," _He called as loudly as he dared. All at once, something strange happened. His voice caused the lake to ripple, and the two closest lights to him flickered as soon as the waves touched them.

Maybe staying there hadn't been the best idea. He opened his eyes, and the lake vanished.

He sighed. Even if he had found Kilgharrah's aura, it would have been impossible to pick out from the dozens he'd seen. There was no one left for him to trust. No one who could help him this time.

But as he let his mind wander, he was unaware of two things happening. In the knights' sleeping quarters, a young man woke up from a strange dream. And deep underground, within the vaults of Camelot, an evil force stirred from its long slumber.

**Ooooooooh, what's going on? Find out tomorrow... well today, I'm uploading extremely late- well, early. Again, sorry about that. Life had me sidetracked for a while. Anyway, review, but you guys are awesome about that anyway. :)**


	17. Inspiration

**This is not getting uploaded anywhere near the time I would have liked… even so, I hope you'll enjoy it, and I know I'll get on top of these updates eventually. It'll work itself out… anyway, review and enjoy!**

Merlin snuck out for the second night in a row, surprisingly unfazed by it all. So far, he'd persuaded Morgana and gotten past Gwen. Gaius wasn't happy with his plan, but he wasn't going to interfere. Mordred knew to keep his head down as well.

Still, this couldn't last. He had to put a stop to Morgana before she could make a move against Arthur. But how was he going to move forward from here? This was the first time he'd ever been on the offensive.

Surely any normal person would never have been able to deal with the secrets. Even Merlin was beginning to get the truth and lies mixed up. For now, he could keep ahead, but when would his luck run out?

For now, he would just have to focus on solidifying Morgana's faith in him. That way, whatever plan he did come up with would have no chance of failing.

Before he even realized it, he'd reached the clearing where Morgana and Gwen were waiting.

"I heard you speaking to Gaius. You have good news, I hope?"

"Better than good. I know where Emrys might be found."

"Where?" she asked in anticipation.

"The last place I saw him, he was in a hovel on the borderlands. He may still be there."

"Are you sure?"

"I cannot say for certain, but the place looked well-lived in. It's doubtful that such an old man would be keen on moving around too often."

She considered this. "You will need to show me the way there."

"I'm afraid I won't be able to. Arthur is leaving for a hunting trip soon, and he will want me by his side. The journey is too far for my presence not to be missed—"

"That will not matter. Arthur will be dead long before then."

Merlin fell silent in shock.

"Didn't you read my message?" Morgana's gaze turned to ice. Gwen watched anxiously.

"I…" he suddenly remembered the parchment from earlier that day. "I did not get an opportunity to," he answered.

Morgana sighed in frustration. "Very well. I will need to explain the first part of our plan."

"How are we going to kill him?" Merlin asked carefully.

She smiled. "Your magic will play a key part in this. There is a legend that I have come across which tells of a powerful creature. It has power over life and death. It controls the balance of the world, and it has already tried to remove Arthur from it."

"You can't possibly mean the Questing Beast?"

"The very same."

"But it's dead. Arthur killed it himself…" he trailed off as she began to laugh.

"Honestly, Merlin, you didn't think such a creature could be killed? The Questing Beast has always been, and will always be, as long as trials plague mankind. It merely needs to be summoned."

"And you think I can help you."

"I know you can. Your magic is powerful; it only needs some guidance." She stared up at the moon. "Once the creature is reunited with the world of the living, it will seek out Arthur to finish what it began."

Merlin's head pounded, but outwardly he was calm. "When will we summon the beast?"

"Tomorrow is the full moon. That is the time when the spirit world is closest to ours, and the spell will require the least amount of energy. You will meet here one last time… and then we shall depart to slay Emrys."

"You will not stay to make sure Arthur is dead?"

"Gwen will be by his side until he draws his last breath, then the crown will be hers. But we must kill Emrys as well."

This scheme couldn't possibly work. Could it? "Why are we killing them both at the same time?"

"Because no one can withstand the poison of the beast- not without powerful magic." An eyebrow twitched in annoyance. "That cursed sorcerer was behind his survival last time, I'm sure of it. Arthur spoke of a guardian angel- hah! That was Emrys's work. It must have been." She grated her teeth. "If only my eyes had been opened back then… the throne might already be in my grasp. If Emrys lives, so does Arthur. Both must die."

"I understand. I must go and prepare… the journey to Emrys may be a long one."

Gwen had watched the entire exchange with an almost condescending sense of boredom. Now that she was a little used to being ignored, she wasn't fearful so much as aggravated. She hadn't even spoken a word, and it seemed their meeting was almost finished!

Even so, the old thrill of a plan coming together filled her. Her only part in it this time was to wait, but just the thought of Arthur's imminent demise was enough to raise her spirits. She did have a problem with it all, however.

"Morgana, how can you be sure you have the power to kill Emrys? Even if you surprise him, seeking him out might spell your own doom…"

The clearing was soundless. The wind stopped rustling in the trees, the nighttime insects had gone silent. It was almost as if they were afraid of provoking the witch's wrath.

"I have lived this nightmare long enough." She turned to the once-maidservant with a sudden tiredness. "Emrys has haunted me for far too long, and I can no longer tell the dreams from the waking world. He must die… or he will bring about my death without ever approaching."

She nodded. "I see… milady, I'm so sorry… this plan will not fail, I know you can do it."

Morgana turned away. "You should both return. Tomorrow night, Gwen, you are not to meet us here. If anything goes wrong during the spell… I do not want to see you get hurt."

"And the Questing Beast-"

"Will tear Arthur apart as soon as he sets foot outside the castle walls."

Gwen blinked. "Will this be the last time I see you for a while?"

"If everything goes according to plan, then it will be. Goodbye." She stalked off, into the woods.

Merlin was still reeling. He walked beside Guinevere, glancing occasionally to read her expression, but he couldn't see her face in the darkness. He could hear sniffling, however, and assumed she was crying.

Finally, she spoke. "Do you know if it will be dangerous?"

"Summoning a beast that is so deeply rooted in ancient magic… it certainly won't be easy. I never knew it was possible." Merlin glanced back at the sniveling girl, and felt anger bubbling within him. _Our noble queen, my old friend, reduced to this… pathetic._

"If you bring any harm to her," she warned, "If she gets hurt or attacked…"

"She'll be safe. I promise." Certainly not! Morgana was going to die the first chance he had.

Gwen eyed him with suspicion, but said no more until they reached the castle.

**This chapter wound up just being one scene. No time jumps or anything whatsoever. I thought that was interesting, but it also was a little short. Not to worry, the next chapter will be longer! … Ah, who am I kidding, I can't promise that. Oh well. I can promise one chapter per day, though. That chapter might get to you at 1 AM, but you'll get it. Eventually. And I'm too tired to do very much proofreading… *****sigh***** Well, I really will try to make tomorrow's chapter longer. I promise too much... blehhhhh. Good night! :)**


	18. A New Ally Part 1

It was a lonely walk to Gaius's chambers.

If Merlin couldn't find a way to solve this, Arthur was going to die. What Morgana had said about the Questing Beast was true: if it had tried to take Arthur's life before, it surely would not rest until it had done so again. Could this possibly be the divine retribution promised by the Disir?

No, it couldn't be. Not yet. Merlin had to find a way to prevent the beast from being conjured.

But how? He had no clues as to the nature of the ritual. Were there spells and enchantments, and might he be able to mispronounce them?

A foolish thought. Morgana would immediately know of the betrayal.

Possibilities of solutions flooded his mind, but each one was flawed. He turned over countless ideas like rocks in a stream, looking for a gleam of silver; but in vain. Finally he stopped. He was in a hallway, one that he knew would not be traversed by any guards for the rest of the night.

He slumped to the ground, his back to the wall. It was the most he could do without letting his thoughts coalesce on his face, to the ever-present eyes of Morgana. He could see a raven peering at him, its black feathers almost invisible against the night.

He felt something awaken inside of him. It was an ancient, raw emotion, one that made his chest hurt. Secluded, sealed off from all those he wished most to protect. It was an unbearable pain, one that he'd been able to suppress at Ismere but now that he'd lost everyone dear to him for a second time...

There! His unconscious was already acting as if they were dead. Nothing had happened yet. There was still time.

But as much as he tried to convince himself, a circle of desperation had begun to shrink around him. He couldn't hold back his grief any longer.

His mind exploded outward in a single thundering cry.

…

Mordred clapped his hands over his ears and cringed as a roar filled his skull.

…

Gaius sat up with a pressure building in his temples.

…

Gwen, now safely in her chambers, dropped her candle with a yelp of surprise. It was as though the lifeline connecting her with Morgana at all times had been plucked. It vibrated wildly between the two of them, like a string on a guitar.

Morgana had felt it as well, the very air surrounding her alive with emotion. Her ears buzzed with the concentrated magic, and she thought she could hear a low rumbling. But then the rumbling became a stampede, and the noise rushed past her like a group of wild horses. She knelt to the ground, but there was no shelter from the booming voice.

"Emrys," she whimpered, "I don't want to die!"

…

Aithusa cowered, having taken shelter in a cave on one of her hunts. The pain of the cry filled her heart with despair.

…

Far away, Kilgharrah turned his head skyward, knowing he could not help Merlin on the path he had chosen.

…

When Merlin opened his eyes, he had returned to the world of the still lake. Lights around him rose and fell rapidly, blinking in several different colors. Huge waves emanated from his position.

_Did I do that?_ he wondered. This time, his voice only sent out tiny ripples. They weren't powerful enough to reach anyone.

He opened his eyes, and he'd returned to the hallway. The raven had flown off.

He stood, a little woozy, and made his way back to his chambers.

The rest happened in a blur. He stumbled through the door, and somehow Gaius was awake and ready for Merlin to stumble into his arms. He drifted away, with only darkness to keep him company.

But something wouldn't let his mind be totally at peace. It was a voice, resounding inside his head.

"_It is time, Emrys, for you to come find me. I had returned to my slumber… but now I see that Camelot is drawing its final breaths. You must find me…"_

Finally, he slipped into oblivion.

…

"Gwen?" Arthur blinked sleepily. "Where are you going?"

She froze. She'd just leaned down to pick up the candle, and was trying to mop up the spilled wax.

"I needed some air," she responded. "I'm not going anywhere now, though."

He groaned, then rolled over, still half-asleep. "Don't… leave…"

"I'm not," she repeated. She was still shaky from the intense emotion she'd felt from Morgana- something had panicked her master.

"I think something woke me up," Arthur muttered. He opened his eyes again, this time aware of his surroundings. "Did you hear anything? It was like… some kind of whisper."

Gwen stood still. "I didn't hear anything."

"I wonder if it was the wind…" he swung his legs over the far side of the bed and stretched his arms high above his head. He moved to the window to inspect it.

"It was probably a dream," Gwen said quietly. "Go back to sleep. You need your rest for tomorrow."

He sighed and flopped back down on his pillow. "You sure you didn't hear anything?"

"No. It was quiet in here."

"G'night, Gwen. You need to sleep too."

She smiled. "I will."

…

Merlin awoke with a headache, once again.

_This is getting to be a habit,_ he thought as his head pounded mercilessly. This time, he didn't have the mead to thank for that: it was the incessant voice which had been wheedling him for the past two hours.

"_Find me, Emrys. You know where I am."_

He stood. The sun had barely risen, but he clearly wasn't going to be getting any more sleep.

He followed the voice throughout the castle, and found that it was easy to pinpoint. The way actually began to look familiar as he descended some stairs.

Of course. This was the route he'd taken countless times to meet with Kilgharrah. He couldn't possibly be back beneath Camelot… could he?  
But the voice which called to him now was much different from the Great Dragon's.

It sounded raspy, as though the owner had not used his voice in a very long time. Merlin wondered if that was how his voice truly sounded, or if he simply wasn't very talented at communicating nonverbally.

Whoever it was, they were extremely persistent: the voice had not let up for hours.

**Can't… type… more… so tired… How about I divide this chapter and just upload part two tomorrow. I like that plan.**


	19. A New Ally Part 2

A New Ally Part Two

"_You must find me."_

The voice had repeated it many times. Merlin felt the walls gradually close in on him, and knew he was going underground. _At least the ravens can't follow me here, _he thought.

Then he felt like hitting himself. Morgana wouldn't be able to see him here! The thought of coming here had never crossed his mind, but now he wondered if it could be put to use. Maybe there was a way to warn Arthur…

Ahead, the path split into two narrow corridors. He was about to head left, the way to the underground caverns, but he stopped and listened. The voice was coming from the right; Camelot's vaults.

_What on earth…_ how could they have possibly gotten inside the vaults? The doors were locked and guarded at all times.

The voice was beginning to fade, the words coming more slowly. Whoever had been calling out was running out of energy.

What if Merlin never got an opportunity to speak to them?

He moved as quietly as possible, and sure enough he could see the guard at the end of the tunnel.

Merlin's eyes flashed. "_Somnus." _

The guard fell in a heap, unconscious. He hurried to the door, muttering a few words. The door sprung open, and he sped through.

He followed the voice as fast as he could, the walls threatening to close in on him. He ran past an opening in the wall, expecting to keep moving forward, but the voice suddenly got quieter.

He returned to the alcove, and saw rough stone stairs spiraling down. The place was eerily familiar, and he knew he'd been this way before.

He followed the path, the air growing cold around him as the torches faded from sight. He was deep underground, possibly even deeper than the caverns. He could make out a gate set in the wall, and began to get a very bad feeling.

"_Torspringe." _The gate creaked on its hinges, and he cautiously entered.

The room had long been cleared of its possessions. Merlin could remember that it had once housed beautiful jewels and the finest gold and silver, but now it was home to only a stone coffin.

The brilliant blue gem in its center had been left untouched.

Merlin's heart hardened. "Sigan."

"_I had almost given up on you." _The voice was nothing like the last time he'd heard it; of course, then it had been coming from Cedric's lips.

"This doesn't make any sense. The spell I used was supposed to trap you forever."

"_It would have, had you not woken me up again."_

Merlin peered quizzically at the gleaming gemstone. "What do you mean?"

"_You created a disturbance powerful enough to wake the dead, boy! It's no wonder you broke your own seal."_

"Then you've made a foolish mistake to think that tricking me would do you any good," he said. _"Numquam redituras ad lucem, lux nusquam videri-"_

"_Stop! I can help you defeat Morgana!"_

Merlin faltered.

"_Listen to me," _the warlock stated, "_If you do not let me help you, Arthur will die, and Morgana will prevail."_

"I will not fall for your petty lies. You can't talk your way out of this."

"_I do not have the strength to argue, but I know that Morgana's plan will not work."_

"If that's true, then why would I need your help?"

"_Because… The Questing Beast cannot be controlled. Once it has been conjured, it will not search for Arthur; his life was replaced with Nimueh's long ago." _

Merlin blinked in surprise. "How do you know that?"

"_I know many things. I know you are Emrys the last Dragonlord, and will soon become the most powerful sorcerer to ever walk the earth. I know that you and I, united, are destined to destroy Morgana."_

He shook his head. "You're wrong. You're evil. And you will stay here, forever." He closed his eyes. "_Numquam redituras ad lucem…"_

"_You are condemning yourself, Merlin."_

"_-lux nusquam videri-"_

"_There is still so much for you to learn-"_

"_-Sol non novi faciem tuam!"_

The crystal shone brightly for a moment before dimming, and once again it returned to its soft blue shimmer.

He left quickly. Sigan would never have helped him. He must have learned those things from the last time they'd seen each other.

Merlin thought back to that day. For a moment, Sigan had seized control of his soul. He had gazed at every one of Merlin's cherished thoughts and memories, had absorbed all of his secrets, before Merlin had a chance to expel him from his mind.

But as he snuck back to Gaius's chambers, something bothered him. If Sigan had really been guessing from what he'd witnessed of Merlin's memories, how would he have known he was a Dragonlord? Back then, even Merlin hadn't known about all of his powers. So how was it possible that Sigan did?

Merlin held his head. He couldn't worry about it now. He had to come up with a plan to foil Morgana, save Arthur's life and prevent her from learning anything else about Emrys.

He groaned. This would certainly be challenging.

…

Morgana felt a wingtip brush her cheek.

She'd been curled in a fetal position, waiting fearfully for death to come. But nothing happened. There were no knives in her back, no sour poison sliding down her throat. Even her most recent nightmares- of a sword running through her stomach- hadn't occurred. There was only the sigh of the wind and a white dragon coiled at her side.

"Aithusa…" was all she could manage. She stood, rubbing her eyes. She'd thought destroying Emrys would be simple, if they could sneak up on him.

But it seemed that he knew he'd been discovered.

A fire lit in her eyes. This was the last time he would make a fool out of her.

"I will find you. I don't care if you know I'm coming."

The shout had been unrecognizable, but she was certain it was an attempt by Emrys to scare her. Only his magic could have carried that kind of sweeping panic.

She knew it wasn't her own fear which left her paralyzed. Emrys had to be projecting it onto her somehow. The nightmares were undeniably his doing as well. It was all a strategy to weaken her, but he would be dead soon.

…

"Merlin, are you listening to me?" Arthur asked for the second time.

"Hmm?" he lifted his head. He'd been sitting at the table, wearily dreading the passing hours.

"Honestly, the minute I return from my hunting trip, you are going back to work. I'm leaving tomorrow, and so far you've done nothing but mope." He stuffed a shirt into his bag.

"What's so special about this hunting trip, anyway?" he asked, but without his usual cheer.

Arthur took notice, and frowned. "The lords I have recently appointed will be joining me. I need to make sure that they are following orders and ruling fairly, which might not be the case for some of them."

"You mean King Harold."

"_Lord_ Harold," he corrected. "One of the men who gave up his lands."

"Think he might not be trustworthy?"

"I'm not sure." He sighed. "What's gotten into you, Merlin? I've never seen you like this."

"Just… I missed so much, while I was gone."

Arthur spun around. "You're upset because you think you missed out on what was going on."

He nodded.

"Merlin, not much happens in a month. If anything, I think you escaped the boredom of it all."

"That's not true." He stood. "Waking up, every day, and knowing that Camelot is safe. That you're safe. That's what I live for. But Morgana took that away from me at Ismere. When I was trapped there, all I could think was how I had failed you. She captured me... all because I made a stupid mistake."

Arthur raised an eyebrow. "That wasn't your fault. You've acted more nobly than many of the knights I've taught."

Merlin caught himself. There were so many things he wanted to say. _This can't be the last time I see you. This won't be the last time I see you. _

"Arthur… I might not-"

Just then, Mordred burst through the doors. "I need to talk to you, Arthur. It's about-" but then he noticed the other person in the room. "Merlin?"

"Mordred, what's the meaning of this?" Arthur was indignant.

But Merlin saw by the look in Mordred's eyes that he meant to tell Arthur everything.

…

**Well, this part of the story has gone a bit off the rails, but that's what happens when you force it into an S-bend. I'm trying to steer it back on track to where I want the plot to go, so don't worry! **


	20. A New Ally Part 3

**My friend Bleachfan1015 helped me with this chapter by giving me plot points and really, really awesome lines to use. Since the last chapter I got a little stuck **** but I'm good now! Let's move on with the story!**

"Mordred, what's the meaning of this?" Arthur said indignantly.

Mordred suddenly became aware of Merlin staring intently at him. He swallowed nervously. "Your horse broke a leg!" he stammered.

Arthur's eyes widened. "Fetch Gaius and the stablehands. This is serious… how bad is it?"

"I'm not sure. You'll have to come with me."

Arthur swore. "Right before I leave, no less. Merlin, I have to take care of this, and since you've nothing to do but lay about, why don't you help Gaius? Make yourself useful."

Merlin breathed a heavy sigh of relief, but shot daggers at Mordred. _"We will talk later, in the vaults. No one will hear us there."_

Mordred nodded breathlessly as the three of them moved outside.

…

Gaius knelt beside the horse while three stablehands, Merlin, Mordred and Arthur formed a small crowd behind him.

"There appears to be nothing wrong," he announced.

Arthur turned to the knight. "Mordred, this is the kind of mistake I would expect from Merlin, but not from someone of your standards."

"I could have sworn I saw it limping," he said despondently.

"It's a good thing he told me anyway, sire." Gaius stood. "If it was really injured, it might not have lasted for much longer. A broken leg is extremely debilitating to a horse."

"Then I suppose it wasn't completely a waste of time."

Mordred glanced at Merlin, but the servant was already leaving. "I am sorry to have caused a panic, sire," he said to Arthur.

"It was an annoying mistake, but it was just that: a mistake. Next time, check with Gaius before coming to me."

He bowed his head and nervously watched Merlin walk away. The vaults, he'd said…

…

Mordred descended until he reached the split hallways. He held his torch up, and almost jumped out of his skin at the sight of Merlin standing in the shadows.

"What did you think you were doing?" he asked, menacingly.

Mordred was undaunted. "I thought you were in trouble. I couldn't find you anywhere, and I-"

"You almost ruined everything!" he hissed. "If Arthur found out, my magic might have been discovered."

"But what's the point? Why are you spying on Morgana if you can't even tell Arthur how to stop her?"

Merlin hesitated. "I knew you were the wrong person to trust. I knew you'd betray me."

"I haven't betrayed you. I heard your call last night. So much pain and desolation… it was something I'd never felt before. I can't believe it came from you."

"You were going to turn me over to Morgana!" he snarled.

Mordred took a step back. "What have I done to garner so much hatred from you?" He took a stance. "I've only ever shown you respect. You mean so much to me, and to the future of Camelot, and until now I have not doubted any of your actions. I don't wish any harm to come to you or Arthur, and the one thing I strive for is to protect him."

"So why were you going to-?"

"Enough of this, Arthur will die if someone doesn't warn him about the Questing Beast!"

Merlin stopped. "How could you possibly know about that?"

"Just listen to me," he begged. "I don't know how else to prove myself to you. I've done all that I can, but you've been holding in so much hatred. Whatever it is that you fear in me… I don't want to become that."

"I think you're the one who should be scared of me right now, Mordred. If you don't start explaining yourself, you'll have more to worry about."

"I _am _scared." His eyes were beginning to fill with water. "I'm scared of what is making you act this way towards me. You are a kind and merciful person, Emrys. But when you look at me, you are no longer yourself." He gulped down his tears. "My greatest fear is becoming worthy of that distrust."

Merlin stared at him, not letting down his guard. "How do you know about the Questing Beast?"

"You might not believe me, but I promise it's the truth."

"How?"

Mordred bit his lip. "Not long after your scream, I heard another voice. It told me that Morgana was going to use you to summon the beast, and that I had to find you and bring you to him. It said that if I couldn't convince you to come, I'd have to warn Arthur myself. I wasn't sure if I could trust it, but the voice was so weak… So I tried to find you… and I finally decided to go to Arthur."

Merlin shut his eyes and put a hand to his forehead.

"What's the matter? Do you know who it was?"

He didn't respond right away. "I've been such a fool," he finally said. "Mordred… I don't hate you." He looked up and saw that the knight didn't fully believe this. "That doesn't matter now, though. The voice you heard. I tried to ignore it, but I don't think I can let this go anymore."

"You heard the voice too?"

He nodded. "Come with me."

Reluctantly, Mordred followed the warlock down the hallway to the right.

When he saw Merlin make short work of the guard, he grew a little troubled. "What are we doing here, exactly?"

Merlin didn't reply. They descended some stairs and arrived at a metal gate. _"Torspringe."_

Mordred found himself in a bare room, save for the huge stone casket in the center. "What is this place?" He asked, transfixed on the glowing blue heart set in the stone.

"It's the tomb of a man called Cornelius Sigan. Once it was discovered, it was resealed, but the wealth it once contained was too attractive to robbers. We finally opened the wall again and moved everything to the treasury."

Mordred suddenly had a terrifying thought. "Merlin… you didn't bring me here to kill me, did you?"

"Don't be ridiculous." He held his palms toward the stone coffin and began to incant. "_Vestri somnus finit, mundo est vita vestra iterum…" _

The words made the hair on the back of Mordred's neck stand up. The power surrounding the spell was ancient. Where had he learned this?

"…_Usque ad mortem anima vestra vendicat."_

For a moment, nothing changed. Then, a familiar voice snaked through his ears.

"_You have given me just enough life to speak," _it said. _"Well done for bringing him, Mordred."_

"Are you… is that-"

"Mordred, you are speaking to the soul of Cornelius Sigan."

"_I was once the greatest sorcerer to have ever lived." _The voice sounded wistful. "_But I do not have time to explain. Merlin, you must let me bond with your soul."_

"First, I want to know how exactly you intend to help us."

Mordred could only stare in wonder. "What is he talking about?"

Merlin ignored him. "How do you know about Morgana's plans?"

"_As I have said, I know many things. I know that only with my help will you be able to defeat her."_

"You told me earlier that Morgana would not be able to conjure the Questing Beast."

"_I did not say that. I said she would not be able to control it. In that sense, her plan will fail. However, wherever the beast is seen, misfortune always follows. Arthur will be safe, but his people will not."_

"Then why do you need me?"

"_You do not understand!" _the voice cried. "_I am fading. Your curse is too powerful for me to linger for much longer. Very soon, I will return to oblivion."_

Merlin steeled himself. "I will do as you ask. But if you try anything, I can send you back with just a few words."

"_That will not be necessary, I promise."_

He moved to the center of the room, reaching for the gemstone.

"Merlin, what are you doing?" Mordred watched with a growing sense of unease.

"If this turns sour, Mordred," he said quietly, without turning around, "run and tell Arthur everything. Make sure he leaves, and goes far away from here. Do you understand?"

"I think so," he said shakily.

Merlin felt the surface of the gemstone. Was it his imagination, or could he feel a faint heartbeat?

He pried it out of its setting, and as soon as it had been freed, a blue stream of smoke rose from it and circled Merlin's head. He began to twitch and jerk, letting the now-clear gem fall to the ground.

"Merlin? What's going on? Merlin!"


	21. Interlude

_~Many years ago~_

The dark cave yawned silently. It had rested for decades undisturbed, the fortress above empty and forgotten.

For a long time, a legend had been whispered among those gifted with magic. It was believed that this place served as a refuge for the Key to All Knowledge.

Footsteps sundered the calm, and a flickering light shone upon the rocks. A young man, dressed in plain robes and holding a torch appeared.

"I've searched this entire cave," he called, "but you still have not shown yourself. Please, there is something I must ask of you!"

There was silence for a moment. A light blue figure, slender and elongated like a shadow, stepped out from behind a rock. It craned its oval head at the visitor. "You have traveled far to find me, Cornelius Sigan."

"How do you know who I am?"

"I am the key to all knowledge. I know what plagues you."

"And you will still help me?"

"If I have found you worthy of my help, I will provide you with the answers you seek, but I cannot promise the revenge you crave."

"You don't understand. I was banished, all because they were afraid of me! I built Camelot, stone by stone, and this is the thanks I get? It was born of magic, and it is only fitting that it should fall at the hands of magic as well."

The Key stared at him with pitying eyes. "But you hesitate."

"I have seen old legends with my own eyes, runes carved out thousands of years ago. They speak of Camelot's greatness, and her sovereignty over all. They say that only one wizard will ever bring about her demise, and that he will be the greatest to ever walk the earth."

"What have you come to ask me?"

"Am I Emrys?"

She gazed solemnly. "No," she rasped.

His face fell. "Then who…"

"You and he can never meet. His birth will occur long after your death. Camelot will flourish, for a short while, and then its fate will be decided by him."

"No, no, no… this can't be. I created Camelot, and I will be the one to destroy it!" He gave her pleading eyes. "Please. You must see this injustice… let me set things right."

"I cannot alter history. Camelot will become the greatest kingdom ever known, and there is nothing you can do to stop it… but… perhaps I can still grant your wish."

"You just said I am not the one destined to destroy her. Emrys won't appear until I'm a skeleton."

"That is correct. However, there is one path left for you to take which may give you a chance to play a part in Camelot's demise."

His eyes flickered back to her face. "How?"

"I must warn you, should you take this path, you and Emrys's destinies will be intertwined. You will lose everything dear to you in this world."

"Anything. I'll do anything, just to see that day."

"You must find a way to preserve your soul for all eternity. You must give up your life, and become immortal."

He frowned. "That's not possible."

"I can provide you with the knowledge to make it so," she said. "The Heart of Nemeton is the most pure gem to have ever been hewn by man. It is the only vessel which will be able to contain your soul."

Overwhelmed, Cornelius felt his face. "You are saying that I must leave my body behind."

"At the right time, you will rise again, and you will come to hold the fate of Camelot in your hands."

"But how? I won't possess any sort of immortality; I'll only be imprisoned. And for how long? By the time Camelot falls, my flesh will have rotted away. A corpse cannot walk!"

"I told you, the price will be a heavy one."

He shook his head. "I have no choice. If there is even a chance… I must take it. Besides, nothing in this world is precious to me any more. Only my wealth, and I can take that to the grave!" He laughed.

"The choice is yours. Do you wish to follow this path?"

He grinned, harshly. "Just tell me where to find this Heart of Nemeton."

_**End Part One~**_

* * *

**This is very short, but on purpose! It is, as the title would suggest, an interlude between parts one and two. This was a fun chapter to write, since now we know a little more about Sigan, but at the same time... so many new questions! Make sure to leave a review, see you all tomorrow!**


	22. Act 2: The Path of Revenge

~Act Two~

Merlin felt someone shaking him. He was cold, and wondered if someone had cast a freezing spell on his brain. His mouth tasted like sand, and he realized that he was covered in it.

Of course. That's what happens when you fall to the ground face-first.

He stood up, holding his head, and dusted himself off. Mordred was there for him to lean on, staring with concern.

But something was very wrong. He felt an extra weight in his mind, throwing him off-balance and threatening to send him crashing back into the dirt.

"Merlin! What just… what did you…" Mordred could only stare at the gemstone, now crystal clear.

"I…" he began, but suddenly the extra weight exploded. It felt as though he'd been wearing an inkwell on his head, but someone had just knocked it over, and the cold liquid seeped everywhere.

"You are the one they call Mordred." Merlin had said it, but there was a disconnect between his mind and his mouth. He was no longer in control.

Mordred attempted to grasp the situation. "Who are you?"

But Merlin was having none of this. _"I'm warning you, Sigan, if you don't get me back in control-"_

"In a second, the druid is asking questions!"

"_Don't you DARE say anything to him!"_

Sigan winced. "I won't. Do you think I'm an idiot?"

"Are you… talking to me?"

"_I can still send you back."_

"I'm completely aware, and if you would shut up, I would be able to tell you how to fix this!"

Merlin stopped. For some reason, he'd thought Sigan would be an older man, but just from this brief conversation he was getting the strange feeling that their ages were much closer than he'd previously imagined. "_Share, then."_

"Right now, you are sealed off in a portion of your own mind with all of your memories and emotions. If you wanted, you could seal yourself away entirely, and you would enter a sort of hibernation… but what you must do now is try to force me into the corner instead."

"_And how do I do that?"_

"You can figure it out. Hurry up, the druid looks ready to attack," he said dryly.

The knight was sorely confused at the one-sided conversation unfolding before him. "You're not Merlin. How do you know about me?"

Sigan threw his gaze back to Mordred. "If he has not told you already, then there is no reason for me to."

"_SIGAN!" _

"What else was I supposed to say?"

"_Enough of this." _Merlin closed his eyes- or at least, that's what he felt like he was doing- and immediately he was cut off from everything. The next few moments were like fumbling for a dropped candle in the darkness as he struggled to find the way out. He saw a light, reached for it, and pulled it towards him.

He opened his eyes.

"_Well done," _said Sigan. "_No one else but you would have been able to do this."_

He shoved the voice further into the corner, and received a faint _HEY! _of surprise. "Mordred," he began to explain quickly, "I have allowed Cornelius to occupy my mind for a while."

Mordred looked on, horrified. "When he said he was going to help you, I never could have imagined this…"

He waved his hand. "It's fine. You couldn't have possibly foreseen this anyway, and this is the only way he will be able to offer his advice."

"Merlin, I have to ask, who exactly is he?"

"He used to be the world's greatest sorcerer."

"_What do you mean, _used _to?"_

Merlin ignored the disgruntled wizard. "Gaius told me he cursed Camelot and found a way to obtain immortality using this Heart. But years ago, a thief broke in and unwittingly unleashed his soul from the gemstone. Sigan laid siege to the castle using the thief's body, but we managed to trap him back inside the heart."

"But… how did he even get in there in the first place?"

"_That's no concern to either of you."_

"He's saying it's none of our business."

Mordred cracked a smile. "That only makes me more interested."

The silence in his mind was almost tangible. "I don't think Sigan's keen on sharing now, but I admit, you have to wonder what kind of person would give up so much just for revenge. Who would be willing to live as a parasite without a body of their own?"

"It looks like his immortality plan has backfired," said Mordred with a snort.

"_Hmm. It seems that way, doesn't it?" _Merlin heard an echoing sigh._ "What you don't realize is that I built Camelot. I know every stone, every corner, every parapet. Even in this form, I can feel her heartbeat weakening."_

Merlin stared at the ground. "You said you'd help me defeat Morgana."

"_The druid should hear this as well. I have a plan which involves both of you working together."_

Merlin glanced up at the knight. "Are you sure?"

"_You trusted him enough to bring him here, didn't you? Besides, the plan won't work without him."_

"Merlin, what's he saying now?" A few moments passed. Mordred could tell that something was going on behind his scrunched up face.

"Okay, so what exactly are you proposing?" Merlin asked. Three seconds later, he hung his head. He was smiling, and he let out a hollow chuckle. "You've got to be kidding me… you want me to let him do _that?"_

"Do what? Who are you-" but then Mordred fell silent. "This is because you still don't trust me, isn't it. Well, whatever he's talking about, don't expect me to let your misgivings put Arthur's life in danger. If he says I'm going to be part of this, then let me do my duty to Camelot!"

Merlin gazed at him with a twinkle in his eye. "It's good to know that you're so eager, because you're right. Camelot has never needed your help more… and we're going to be heading straight into enemy territory."

…

**I didn't update yesterday, and I'm posting this SUPER late, sorry about that. But thank you so much to everyone who's been following, favoriting, and reviewing, especially those who have left several reviews. I've never gotten so much positive and constructive feedback for any story, and I know you guys will help me stay on track and finish this thing. WOO! 3**


	23. Guidance

The full moon was high and cast a silver glow on the green leaves. Morgana had waited eagerly for this night to come.

She'd left a trail of twisted branches for Merlin to follow, and sure enough, the raven-haired man practically tripped over the undergrowth and fell into the clearing.

"Sorry," he said, picking himself up. "I think I got lost a few times… so, are we going to… you know… summon a monster? Or something?"

She smirked. "We shall. But there is someone I must visit first."

She began to walk away, and Merlin followed, confused. "_Sigan?" _he prompted inwardly. "_Do you know where we're going?"_

"_Hmm. Maybe you should ask her."_

"Uh," he said aloud, "Who?"

"Someone who will be able to show me the spell."

He blinked. "You don't actually know the spell already."

"_I figured as much. What did I tell you?" _Sigan said with glee. _"She doesn't know the first thing about what she's attempting to do."_

"No," Morgana called behind, "but this person will teach it to me."

"And what if they don't?"

"She will."

"So… who is she?"

Morgana didn't respond.

"_Sigan, are you sure-"_

"_I think I have a guess as to who we are paying a visit. Few left are those truly familiar with the old ways."_

"_Who?"  
"I would wait and see, if I were you. I could be wrong."_

Merlin huffed. _"Some help you are."_

Suddenly Morgana stopped. Her hand rested on a large oak tree, which guarded the mouth of a huge cave.

"I must go inside alone," she said quietly. "This is a sacred place, and few people are allowed to see it. Perhaps, when I have instructed you a little more, you will be able to enter with me. But for now you must wait out here. I won't be long."

"I'll be fine," he assured her.

Morgana took a steadying breath and descended.

"_Do you know where we are, Sigan?"_

"… _My suspicions were correct. We are standing outside the home of the Dochraid."_

…

It was the first time she'd ever visited the ancient sorceress's dwelling without Morgause by her side, and the cave had never looked more intimidating.

"Who dares enter the sacred cave of the Dochraid?"

Morgana shivered at the elemental, grating voice. "It is I, Morgana Pendragon. I last came here with my sister, the High Priestess Morgause." The cave had not changed since she'd last seen it, and if anything, the Dochraid had become even more repulsive.

"And yet, you have not returned with her." The creature- for that was all it could truly be called- sniffed the air. "The earth has told me of her sacrifice, and she walks with the spirits now. Her duties have passed on to you."

"I have been fulfilling them, but I ask for your guidance."

"What is it that you desire, child?" It craned its neck to sense the answer better. "Was the Teine Diaga successful?"

Morgana fought back her nausea. She had to remember that she was dealing with someone of the Old ways, someone who was worthy of her respect and reverence. "It was," she quivered, "But another matter has arisen. Our attempts to kill Arthur have failed… but I believe there may be another way. He was once attacked by the Questing Beast. If it has tried his blood before, then who is to say it has not gotten a taste for it?"

"Morgana… how clever. You wish to summon the beast. But alone, you are not powerful enough to conjure such a being."

Her forehead creased in concern. "I know."

"With another, perhaps it would be possible… but their power would need to equal yours."

"I have found a sorcerer."

"Bah! No petty magician from the street will do. Morgana, you have grown stronger since I last sensed your presence. Perhaps even to match Emrys."

Her breath hitched in her throat. "Good. Because I will begin searching for him tonight, after we have sent the Questing Beast after its prey."

The Dochraid breathed heavily, and the image of a sodden, moldy cloth being wrung out came to Morgana's mind. "I can see that you are serious about this. Very well, I will share the spell with you… but be warned. It will consume your energy, and once summoned, the beast can only be sent back to the other world if it is killed."

Morgana nodded. "I'm ready."

"Listen very carefully…"

…

**So we're going to get to see some monsters next chapter, I can feel it! And also Sigan's plan. I'm starting to realize just how many characters I'm bringing back… and since this is before Merlin learns about the Dochraid, he's a little confused. This was short, but I've been getting into the cycle of updating at 1 AM again, which I'm not proud of. *****sigh* Oh well. Another chapter's coming tomorrow, and I will try my hardest to explain all of the questions that I have raised. Like where the heck is Mordred right now? Thanks for reviewing, good night!**


	24. Skepticism

**Sorry for not updating in… well, it's been over a week now… but I got addicted to a new anime. You guys know how that feels, right? It steals your SOUL. Luckily, I was able to tear myself away. So here's the extremely overdue chapter… oops.**

**~#####~**

"_Here she comes now."_

Merlin looked back at the cave to see Morgana stepping back into the moonlight.

"The spell is not as difficult as I had assumed," she stated. "It will be easy for you to learn, but you will need to focus your energy completely. Come with me."

Helplessly, Merlin followed her through the forest once more.

"Where are we going this time?"

"There is a lake ahead. Bodies of water and mirrors are useful for summoning spirits, because they can sometimes act as gateways."

Something had been bothering Merlin. "If you already knew when and where to do this, then why didn't you know the spell?"

"I have many books of the legend of the creature. They specify almost every detail… except the spell itself. The Dochraid is the sole keeper of that knowledge, and is an ally of the Old Religion."

"The Dochraid." He tested the word. "Is that who you were seeing?"

"Yes. She might not have taken kindly to you, as you have not yet been initiated, but I will instruct you in the Old ways myself."

His heart went still. "You really mean that?" He didn't know very much about the Old Religion. There was so much he could learn from Morgana, so much that no one else would be able to teach him…

"_Is she telling the truth? I mean…"_

"_About teaching you? Indeed, it would be interesting to learn from a High Priestess."_

"_No." _He'd already shown what stance he took against the Old Religion. He would never be accepted… not after the way he'd challenged the Disir.

Surely they knew. Surely they knew that he was the one to blame for Arthur's decision. It was not only Arthur who was being punished… it was Merlin for taking him down the wrong path. Mordred had lived, because he'd made the wrong decision.

But then, how would he have gotten a plan together without the knight? It was difficult to say how he felt about Mordred… whether he could be a trusted ally or a potential traitor.

And then he thought about the White Goddess; supposedly, the one who spoke through the Disir.

"_Tell me, Sigan. Were you once a part of the Old Religion?"_

"_I was. And I know for a fact that there is much knowledge that has been lost, due to the Great Purge."_

"_Does the White Goddess really exist?"_

Sigan took a little while to reply. "_I believe in her. It is one of our tenets."_

For some reason, Merlin felt a spark of anger. _"If she does exist, then why is she willing to let Camelot fall? Why should Arthur die, when it is within her power to stop it?"_

"_We cannot see our place in this world. Only a few are gifted with the knowledge of their own futures… you are among those few, Emrys."_

He let out a breath. "_My destiny is to protect Arthur."_

"_And who do you think shaped that destiny?"_

He paused. Who did control the fates? "_No one," _he decided.

He could hear an echoing sigh. "_…You are still ignorant of so much. But that is also part of your destiny. Someday, you will realize how much greater your role is."_

Before he could begin to wonder what the sorcerer was talking about, Morgana stopped.

"We're here," she called.

**~#####~**

"_Are you sure this will work?" _Merlin asked nervously. "_Or at least, that it won't work?"_

"_I am certain it will fail. Be on your guard."_

Morgana had finished drawing an intricate symbol in the soft earth. The lake was beautiful, almost as still as glass.

The bad feeling in his stomach intensified when she turned to him and said, "Have you memorized the spell?"

"Every bit of it," he responded.

"Good. Stand here." She grabbed his hand and pulled him to the circle.

"Ready? Say it with me."

"_Sidera, venit ad vitam. Revertimini ad me, ut vitae necisque habeant potestatem."_

The symbol at their feet began to glow. All at once, the water went completely still, reflecting the sky and the stars.

Merlin stared closely at the surface of the lake. Something appeared to be moving… a group of stars was actually shining brighter and growing in size. He realized it was a constellation, although one that he'd never learned the name of.

He looked up at the sky. The stars had not changed, but on the lake the constellation burned ever brighter. Suddenly it began to take on the shape of the Questing Beast, and it looked as though it were trying to claw its way out of the water. It got closer and closer, and finally a claw broke the surface.

"It worked," Morgana breathed. "It worked! Arthur will not last another day. We will soon see-" But an earsplitting roar cut her off.

Merlin cringed as the monster emerged from the water, even more menacing than the last time he'd seen it. He could tell that perhaps this hadn't been the best idea.

**I'm not going to be able to do daily updates like I did before, I've got summer assignments to tackle and chores… bleh. In this fic, Merlin is a little skeptical of the Old Religion, partly because he's never been part of it and because he considers it a "cruel and selfish magic". So can Morgana actually teach him a little more about it? And how will he use that knowledge against her?**


End file.
